


Let Us Help You

by jimblejamblewrite



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Eating Disorders, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:08:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27528172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jimblejamblewrite/pseuds/jimblejamblewrite
Summary: The team is absolutely in love with one of the SHIELD recruits and hopes she joins the team considering she already lives with them. No one knows that she has several eating problems not even the two super-soldiers who seem to hang onto her even more than the rest of the team.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s), James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 5
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (Trigger Warning mentioned in description but I'll say it once more before we start the story. This is a story that deals with eating disorders and mature themes)

“Hey, Minnie. Dinner!” Nat called as the woman entered the compound after coming back from a practice mission. 

Minnie shook her head. “Ate before I came back… I’m not feeling the best so I’m just gonna rest. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

She fake limped towards the elevator to help sell her case. Naturally, the mildly chirpy demeanor Minnie had never had the team feeling suspicious. It was also easy to fake since it wasn’t overly happy— she had moments and bursts of excitement but since she was considered one of the calmer and more mature recruits that side didn’t come out often around others. 

Entering her room, Minnie stripped out of her uniform and headed to the shower. The other recruits went home after training but Minnie didn’t have a place to go and Fury along with the rest of the Avengers didn’t have a problem with her staying at the compound after hours in the residential area. 

Everything she told the team was a lie. Minnie wasn't hurt and she hadn’t eaten already. But she couldn’t eat, she felt like she already had too much earlier. So Minnie finished showering and went to bed without so much as a sip of water. 

She groaned as she heard the knock on her door early in the morning. Minnie pulled herself out of bed and opened it to be greeted by Bucky and Steve who were already in their workout clothes. Despite not being enhanced in any way, Minnie still worked out with the two super-soldiers. It wasn’t intentional— she had started off training with the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. recruits. Her demeanor had drawn in some recruits in as well as the actual Avengers including the group’s trainers, Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes. Steve and Bucky always went to Minnie for everything related to the 21st century and as they had more questions she ended up spending more time with them which turned into her workout schedule being moved up to match theirs. 

“Doll, you still running with us this morning?” Steve asked. 

They always knocked on Minnie's door after she came back from a practice mission to ask if she was working out with them instead of assuming that she would meet them downstairs. Sometimes Minnie said yes and other times she would slam the door back in their face as an answer. Today, despite feeling a little sleepy, Minnie was actually up and ready to do something. 

She had completely forgotten her lie the other night and that she probably should’ve been limping and in no position to workout with them, but Bucky didn’t forget. He didn’t say anything, figuring Minnie probably lied so she could go to bed without anyone annoying her last night. She had been gone on that training exercise for a week which wasn’t too bad but it was in the peaks of the snowy mountains so she must’ve been tired. Minnie didn’t answer them but left the door open as she turned around so they knew the answer was yes. 

Part of answering all of Steve and Bucky’s questions about the 21st century involved teaching them about the modern woman and navigating the different way people dated nowadays. That included letting them practice pick-up lines and flirting with her since Minnie wasn't going to laugh at them or punch them in the face for saying something wrong. It made their friendship funny to others because no one ever thought they’d see the two centenarians be flirty. Minnie didn’t mind because she silently basked in the compliments because those tended to be the only time she got them. 

As Minnie turned around, she looked for the workout clothes she knew she had thrown somewhere in the room. Her sleep shorts had ridden up giving the two of men a good view of her butt when she bent down to pick up the clothes that had missed the chair she was aiming for when she threw them. Even though it was early in the morning, they saw the opportunity to say something flirtatious and they were gonna do it. Bucky wolf-whistled and even though he couldn’t see her face, Minnie rolled her eyes and smiled knowing something was about to come out of either his mouth or Steve’s or both. 

“What a view to wake up to, ain’t it Stevie?”

“Sure is, Buck. The squats are doing you well, Minnie. Think we should assign more in training.”

“Yeah?” she asked as she straightened back up to face them. 

Steve turned to Bucky. “What was the word Sam used the other day? That woman at Tony’s party.”

“Thicc?”

He and Steve both turned back to look at the woman, giving a very obvious up down. They both nodded. 

“Thicc,” they said at the same time. 

Minnie's face almost fell at their words. That wasn’t the goal by any means and if that’s what the squats were doing then she was cutting them out of her workout. She knew when she saw the conflicting articles on if squats made her butt bigger or smaller that she should’ve just decided not to try them out at all. Minnie went into the bathroom to change and came back ready to run. 

Steve and Bucky frowned a little as they walked behind her. Was the line that bad? Normally, Minnie either swooned and laughed if they did a good job or snorted and corrected them if their attempt at flirting was just that bad. But she had never said nothing before. They didn’t say anything about it to her as the three started training. When it finished, Minnie went back to her room to shower while they started breakfast. Peeling off clothes, she looked in the mirror to see what they were talking about. Minnie was sure they were right and that made her sigh because none of it was what she wanted. 

When she came downstairs, breakfast smelled delicious and made her feel guilty. The thought of eating was a tug-of-war in Minnie's mind between she should and she shouldn’t. Steve piled the pancakes on the plate and brought it over to the couch with the smoothie that Minnie almost always wanted along with breakfast. He and Bucky sat down on the couch leaving space in the middle for her. 

Minnie joined them, careful not to accidentally sit on either of them as she settled into the space they left that looked entirely too small for her to fit in. The pancakes were big— Bucky must’ve made them. Drink the smoothie and eat half of a pancake. That’ll be fine. It should’ve been but Minnie's throat started to burn at the mere thought. She ignored it and ate anyway. 

“You not gonna touch the rest?” Steve asked. 

“Not that hungry, smoothie’s pretty filling,” she offered up. 

Both Bucky and Steve shrugged and finished their breakfast while Minnie just enjoyed the resting period. After every practice mission, recruits were given two days to rest before going back to training. She hoped it would all be over soon and she could become a certified agent. Minnie probably wouldn’t be an Avenger since she wasn't at the very top of the class but she knew that she was good enough— more than good enough— to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. 

Bucky and Steve were going to the office level for a mission report from the team’s last assignment the other week. Minnie took the opportunity to go into the bathroom. You’d think that after multiple times of making yourself throw up, it would be easier. But Minnie had difficulty each time. On one hand, she was grateful because maybe it was a sign she should stop but on the other hand it made everything worse. Because Minnie probably wouldn’t stop and it was just more uncomfortable that it took multiple attempts. 

She looked at herself in the full length mirror, not feeling any different. Steve and Bucky’s words lingered in the back of her mind. Yeah, it was what most girls wanted. And honestly Minnie thought that thicc looked really good on so many women… she was not one of those women. It wasn’t lost on her that she had an issue. Minnie was very aware but just because she was aware didn't mean it magically goes away. It’s funny because there were moments of clarity when she looked at herself that she probably wasn't what she thought. Body dysmorphia was one of the problems Minnie had. 

The team had come back from finishing the reports and found Minnie on the couch, putting her guns back together. At first she was apprehensive to be anywhere in the common spaces since she was a recruit but after lots of prodding that this was her space too, Minnie started to come around much to the rest of the team’s joy. It didn’t make the other recruits too happy, some of them thought she was getting special treatment. Considering how much the team pushed her, including being rather mean in front of the others to seem more fair, Minnie definitely thought otherwise. 

Wanda used her powers to lift one of the parts from Minnie's gun off the table. Minnie watched it float above her. Normally she wouldn’t care but Wanda used her mind reading and knew that was the exact part she needed next. Minnie whined and pouted at Wanda to set it down but she wouldn’t. She enjoyed messing with the woman because Minnie was so calm and let it happen, the others tended to get annoyed. 

She set down the gun and started reaching into the air to try and grab the part. Minnie was sitting cross-legged, attempting to stretch her arms as much as possible but it wasn’t working. She huffed and gave up. 

“Gave up after ten seconds, Brown?” Nat joked. 

“Tell Wanda to give it back.” 

“Do it yourself, lazy ass.”

“Why would you say that?” Minnie asked with a tinge of hurt in her voice. 

“Hmm?” Nat asked as she walked to the fridge. It was a joke, she joked with everyone on the team like that. 

“I’m not lazy.” 

“I didn’t mean it like that, none of us think you are. Sorry,” Nat apologized. She didn’t think it would bother Minnie, she didn’t even know it was going to bother her.

Wanda quickly set the part down and let Minnie continue to work in silence. The rest of the team looked at her, Minnie refused to look up again before she exposed any more of herself than she already had. They decided maybe it was best to not push it and just walk away. Tony led the way before stopping to turn around. 

“Minnie, we’re having a team night tonight.”

“Okay?”

“You’re coming, no excuses. Don’t want to hear it.”

“But I’m not a part of the team.”

“You live with us, good enough for me.” 

Minnie nodded and they all walked away, leaving her to finish cleaning and putting the guns back together. There was nothing she could say to get out of team night and it wasn’t that she didn’t want to hang out with them but team night involved food. Lots of food and probably alcohol. Minnie wouldn’t be drinking, getting a beer belly was honestly a fear of hers. Avoiding alcohol was easy but the food? 

She hadn’t eaten more than a single meal a day the entire time she was on the training mission and while it appeased her, Minnie also knew the binge period was probably coming. It wasn’t even really a binge for other people it was called eating normally. At the most, maybe it was slightly overeating but it was nowhere near a binge. However, that wasn’t how she saw it. 

“Whoo, Cap and Metal Man were right,” Sam said as Minnie came downstairs. “Thicc is right. Where you going looking like that?!”

“I’m literally in a bonnet and pajamas, Sam,” she said as she sat down. Sam was definitely like family to Minnie. Annoying but someone she was close to, partly due to shared experiences that other team members wouldn’t relate to. 

“Still looking fine as hell. Those thighs could kill a man and you wouldn’t even have to use Nat’s move.”

Natasha smirked as she took a sip of her drink. “He’s right, those legs. You’re a looker, Minnie.” 

The other woman immediately shrunk under everyone’s gaze. It was probably a compliment. Not probably. It was and she knew it but she didn’t see it that way. Instead Minnie heard her thighs could kill a man because they were so big. Steve and Bucky picked up on the shift she had in energy. As Minnie sat down, Bucky took off his zip-up hoodie and handed it to her. She shrugged it on to cover the tank top. Steve took his off to lay over her lap and cover her legs up. 

Minnie was thankful to them for doing it but began to chew on her bottom lip because the act alone had her feeling like they knew something was up. She prided herself on hiding it from everyone. Partly because she really didn’t want to burden anyone with it, she also felt the others had problems that were far greater than hers.

“So, Minnie?” Nat asked. 

“Hmm?” she looked up to see the entire team looking at her. It must’ve been her turn for the game of Interrogation. She was so in her head that she hadn’t heard them. 

“Love life, why don’t we ever see you walk of shaming back home like the rest of us. Haven’t seen one since you first joined us.”

“I’m not into that type of thing.” Minnie shrugged while eyeing the tub of ice cream in Nat's hand that she really wanted. 

“Oh, no?” Tony perked up. 

“No. I don’t like really hooking up with guys especially when…” she got quiet. 

The game was Interrogation but Minnie wasn't ready to spill everything to them. Especially when she was still a recruit and not an Avenger. Naturally, the team wasn’t going to let it go. Minnie started something and now they wanted all the details and were gonna make her finish. She shook her head at their pressing. 

“Why won’t you tell us? Especially when what?”

“When she likes someone.”

“Wanda!” 

She shrugged an apology for reading Minnie's mind and looked at her with a head tilt. She saw more than she meant to. She wasn’t even intending to read Minnie's mind, the thought just slipped out because everyone was harassing her with questions. Wanda's eyes scanned her body and the two jackets Minnie currently had over her and the two bodies she was sandwiched between. 

“So you like someone?” Clint asked. “Wait are they in this room?”

Minnie stuffed her face with snacks to avoid answering any questions. 

“Someones.”

“Wanda!”

“I’m sure they feel th—”

“If she doesn’t want to say, we shouldn’t push her,” Bucky cut everyone off.

They all dropped it since Bucky’s gaze was intense. Minnie flopped her head on his shoulder as thanks. He rubbed her shoulder and Steve patted him on the back to tell him he did a good job. It wasn’t until this moment that Minnie noticed she was always in between the two of them. 

The action itself wouldn’t be weird except for the fact that the two super soldiers were super together. It came as a surprise to Minnie considering they were learning to flirt from her until she was told by Wanda that they weren’t involved at first when Minnie had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. After they became a couple, flirty banter with her was so normal that they never stopped. 

That and the fact that they occasionally still picked up women when the team went out to the club for some fun. However, it was only ever just fun. Everyone became a third wheel around them considering how serious they were with each other. Everyone but Minnie. Steve and Bucky actively made room for her. Anytime she was entering a room, they separated so Minnie would have a spot in the middle and they would be pressed up on her. 

Team Night ended with no one interrogating Minnie on anything too serious after Bucky’s remark. She went back to her room, upset with herself. She didn’t mean to eat the snacks as a diversion tactic but it was spur of the moment and now Minnie felt like she had to punish herself over it. 

Minnie didn’t join Steve and Bucky for the morning run since it was time to go back to training. They weren’t surprised. Most of the time when Minnie refused their runs after practice missions, it was on the morning that the recruits had to go back to training. She would see them in a few short hours anyway. Except they wouldn’t be her friends but her trainers. And when they were her trainers, they were kind of assholes. 

The team always felt a little bad when they had to teach her group. No one wanted to constantly berate Minnie but they had to for the sake of appearances. It wasn’t lost on them how the other recruits were convinced she was receiving special treatment even though she wasn't— if Minnie was the team would’ve ranked her at number one like they wanted instead of number five, although Minnie's rank was still impressive. They also would have told her that they already picked her to be an Avenger if she was receiving special treatment and she would skip the exam at the end of training that was coming up. Her rank was high enough to qualify as far as they were concerned and unlike the others above Minnie, they actually liked her and her personality. 

Minnie knew they didn’t mean it— it had been explained to her a few times— but it still hurt a little. Maybe she should have told the team how it really felt when they asked her because they wanted to be sure they weren’t going too hard but she always told them she was okay. Bothering them wasn’t in Minnie's nature. 

She arrived to class a little later than the other recruits which was ironic since Minnie was the one that lived upstairs. There were a couple under-the-breath comments made as she went to stand in line with them but she ignored it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something that Steve or Bucky could ignore. 

“You’re late, Minnie,” Steve said without so much as a glance at her. That was another thing the team did to prove she wasn't being treated differently— refuse to look at Minnie unless completely necessary. 

“Sorry, Captain. I wasn’t feeling well when I woke up.”

“Do you have a note from medical?”

“No,” she said quietly as the sniggers started. 

Some of the other recruits’ favorite part of the day was Minnie getting chewed out. They were dumb for laughing because the team kept track. They noted all her friends in the class, which wasn’t hard considering she could count on her hand how many. And they especially noted everyone who didn’t just laugh and tease when they yelled at Minnie but actively made fun of her as well. Those people would never be put anywhere in the high rankings of S.H.I.E.L.D. They made sure of that and Fury agreed. 

“Speak louder, recruit.” 

“No, Captain. I don’t have a note from medical. I forgot.” 

“You forgot? So you must not have been feeling that bad. Which means you’re still late and owe us.” That was Bucky. 

In actuality, Minnie didn’t forget to get anything. Of course, she didn’t go down to medical and get a note like anyone else would. Because a note meant she had to tell them what the problem was and no way in hell was anyone in S.H.I.E.L.D., not even the doctor, going to know that Minnie switched off between not eating and just making herself throw up. The latter being the reason she was late that morning. So she accepted the verbal beating like she accepted all the others. 

Bucky turned to the rest of the recruits for Minnie's least favorite part: punishment. The way it worked was the group picked the punishments for each other. The thought was to build teams. Sure it was easy to just have the trainer give you a punishment and then you just hate them for it. But if your team picked, usually they went lighter on you and in return when they messed up you would go lighter on them. It was a way to build bonds and trust. 

Or it should’ve been. It only worked for Minnie when they picked their friends in the group. But Sam told them that last time he had picked Courtney and the time before that Sharon had picked Morgan which meant it was time to pick someone who wasn’t a friend before the recruits caught on. 

“Ryan,” Bucky called. “How should Minnie apologize to the team for being three minutes late?”

Minnie prepared for the worst. Why did Bucky have to pick him out of everyone? Ryan definitely didn’t like her. He didn’t like that she was ranked so high despite the fact that he and a few others thought she wasn't qualified enough. 

“Running.”

If he had stopped there Minnie would’ve thanked him, that would have been one of her nicer punishments from the group that didn’t like her. One time they made Minnie work the punching bag for the entire training session— her arms felt like absolute jello at the end of that one, Nat took her out for a spa day to apologize. Another time, Minnie had to do five hundred reps of ab work— Steve let her pick the movie to watch with him and Bucky that night. But this was Ryan and Minnie knew something else was coming.

“The entire period before break, no less than setting five on the treadmill.” 

“Setting five?” she asked in a high pitched tone. “That’s a consistent five minute mile.”

“You run with Captain and Sergeant.” 

“Not for entire training ses— please guys, that’s over twelve miles… I’ll just take it.” 

Steve wanted to shout at them for giving her such a hard punishment while Bucky wanted to ask why Minnie didn’t put up more of a fight. She walked over to the treadmills and started one. Minnie could hear Morgan arguing for a lesser time for her friend, bless her, but the others weren’t hearing it. After Ryan mentioned Minnie running with Steve and Bucky, they felt it shouldn’t have even been hard for her. 

What wasn’t mentioned was the fact that Bucky and Steve ran at their speed for about ten miles before slowing down to join Minnie who was significantly slower. Maybe she could push for a five minute mile when she had to, especially under high stakes missions— all the adrenaline definitely helped— but at a consistent pace, that wasn’t something Minnie could really do. Before she could actually start running now that she turned it to setting five, her name was called. Minnie turned to see Clark standing beside Bucky. 

“Seems one more recruit is later than you, also with no note. How should Clark apologize to the rest of the team for being late?” 

“Fifty-six pushups.” 

“That seems like child’s play.” 

“Clark’s always early. If he’s late, it’s because of car trouble, Sergeant. Clark lives forty minutes from the compound, the bus runs about four minutes behind when he should leave and every ten minutes after that. Fifty pushups for each minute it takes the bus to get to the compound and six for the six minutes he was late, probably because he took the second bus after trying his car too many times. Is that right, Clark?”

“The third bus, actually. Thank you, Minnie.” 

The woman nodded and Clark started his punishment that he wasn’t complaining about at all. Minnie always picked fair, if not a little lenient depending on if she knew people’s reasonings. That was something the nicer recruits liked about her. It was what the team liked about her as well. Minnie turned back to the treadmill and began. 

When she was almost done with punishment, sweat drenching down the back of her t-shirt, Nat was standing at the door to the room. She looked over at Minnie with a raised eyebrow and Steve mouthed to her that Minnie was late. She nodded in understanding and fully walked in. Minnie was relieved when she was called to come off the treadmill early because Nat was there as a special guest trainer for that session. 

The three official Avengers noted how heavy their favorite recruit was breathing as she tried to stay standing straight. It was an aggressive punishment that Minnie was given for three minutes being late but they couldn’t say anything against it. However all three of them were already thinking of ways to apologize to her later. Making it up to her, that was something the entire team was very good at. 

“Agent Romanoff’s here to show you her signature move,” Steve said as Minnie fell back into line with the rest of them. 

Nat put on her hard trainer face as she looked at everyone. 

“The point of this move is whenever you’re going up a bigger opponent and for most ladies here and a few of our men, you’re going to be facing bigger opponents all the time. I’m gonna show you on Steve and then everyone’s pairing up and practicing. Sorry to the bigger recruits, today you’re merely a punching bag.” 

Bucky huffed out a short laugh. “Of course we’re going to teach you how to defend yourself if someone has you in a thigh hold, not just leave you to the wolves.”

“If you can get out of one, Barnes.”

“Just do the demonstration.” 

Nat gave a very in-depth explanation which Minnie was sure it was more explanation than necessary and she just wanted a chance to pin Steve an obnoxious amount of times. Minnie was one of the smaller recruits, not much taller than Nat so she got to learn the move. She wished she was paired up with Clark or even Courtney since the girl was a giant but they were assigned other people. Minnie was put with Leo who was similar in stature to Sam. If she could master this move, she was definitely using it on Sam just because. The room was filled with sounds of grunts and struggles as well as the slamming of people onto mats. Nat, Steve, and Bucky were walking around to correct form and dish out praises. They were pleased to have noticed Minnie took down Leo with no problem. 

“Good work, Minnie,” Nat called from the other side of the room. “Leo, your form needs to be better to break out.” 

“No one can break out of this.”

Minnie was beaming at the praise and his struggle. She actually did something not just well but top of the class. This was a first for her and she was excited until she heard the chuckles. Something dumb was about to happen, she was sure of it. 

“No one can break out or you’re too weak, recruit?” It was less of an insult and more of friendly banter, that was just Nat’s style. 

“No one can break out,” Leo insisted as Minnie still held him. “Thick thighs, could crush you.” 

He muttered the last part under his breath but she and those closest heard. They started laughing as Minnie quickly let go of him. Steve and Bucky with their enhanced hearing also heard it. Bucky was first to walk over, trying not to show too much emotion at seeing her melancholic expression. 

“I just think Leo’s a little weak,” he attempted to make it sound like a joke. “Minnie, you’re up against me.” 

She hesitated. After Leo’s comment, she just remembered what Sam said the other night. Of course, Sam’s comment was out of love but the same way in didn’t matter in that moment, it didn’t matter in this moment. Bucky noticed her pause. He didn’t care if the others thought she was getting special treatment, in this moment it was about making sure she was fine. 

“Minnie,” he started gently. That alone snapped her out of it considering he never used that voice with her in the gym. 

She nodded and did the move, taking him down. It didn’t last long. Bucky broke out only seconds later. He grabbed her hand to help her stand up. This time it was Bucky’s turn to pause. Minnie, the other recruits, Nat, and Steve all gave him questioning expressions. Since they made a point to ignore her, neither he nor Steve had gotten a good look at Minnie's face that morning. 

“Why didn’t you tell us your eye was bloody?” 

“May I be excused?” she asked quickly.

Bucky nodded and she practically ran out of the room. Entering the locker rooms, Minnie looked at her face in the bathroom mirror. 

“Shit,” she muttered to herself. 

It hadn’t happened in so long, Minnie thought it wouldn’t happen again. Making herself throw up can cause capillaries near the surface of the skin to burst. It used to happen often when she first started and then it kind of stopped. But now Minnie was looking at herself and Bucky was right. There was a little bit of blood in her eye and under both her eyes, Minnie's face was littered in tiny red freckles— all broken capillaries. 

She wasn't sure if Bucky had excused her for the rest of class or just for a few moments but she wasn't going back in there. Minnie walked right back to her room and into her bathroom. Even though throwing up was the cause of the problem it was also her only solution at the moment. Minnie crouched down to lean over the toilet. The two fingers pressed to the back of her throat kept pushing until she finally gagged. 

There wasn’t much, considering Minnie had thrown up that morning and hadn’t eaten since then but she was okay with that. This time it was less about Leo’s comment anyway. Sometimes it was more of a control thing, she felt like she was spiraling when Bucky noticed so she took back control by making herself do something— in this case the something was to be head first in the toilet. After Minnie cleaned up and changed into fresh clothes she collapsed onto the bed. 

“FRIDAY?” she asked tentatively as she looked at the ceiling. 

“Yes, Miss Minnie?”

She was a bit shocked the AI responded. Minnie had never used FRIDAY before and despite the fact that Tony said the woman had full access to the place, there were some things she just didn’t touch or play with since she felt like they belonged to the team. FRIDAY was one of those things. 

“Can you please play music?” 

“What would you like?”

“Something that would make me happy, make me dance.”

“Of course, Miss Minnie.”

FRIDAY had good taste. Her playlist consisted of Rihanna, Nicki, Beyonce, Cardi, and even Meg. It’s like she could read Minnie's mind to find what would have her happy. However she didn’t actually stand up till “Hips Don’t Lie” came through the speakers. At some point FRIDAY switched to more pop punk, not that Minnie minded. 

Bucky and Steve finished up with the recruits and were on their way to find Minnie after she never came back to class. They heard the loud music as they approached her door, she didn’t tell FRIDAY to turn on the soundproofing— Minnie didn’t even know that was something she could ask for. While they knocked in the morning as her wake-up call, the two of them normally just walked in any other time. Most of the team did. Unless Minnie put up the little do not disturb sign, she didn’t mind if they walked in sans invitation. 

Bucky opened the door but neither he nor Steve spoke. Minnie's back was turned to them as the music changed from “Mr. Brightside” to “Turn Me On” and she went from jumping up and down to whining her waist. They watched with amused smiles yet dark eyes as they focused on her hips swaying around. She jumped hearing Steve’s voice. 

“So this is what an excited Minnie looks like?”

“It’s a cute look on you, Doll,” Bucky added. “Although that dance was anything but cute. Why don’t you dance like that for us at Tony’s parties?”

Minnie rolled her eyes and asked FRIDAY to turn the music off. They watched how even though she rolled her eyes, a smile danced on her lips at the underlying compliment and suggestive nature of Bucky’s comment. So naturally, Steve had to continue. 

“Too bad you’re not in your little shorts from the other night, would’ve loved to see the whole show.” 

After Leo’s comment, Minnie had changed into sweats when she got out of the shower not feeling like being too aware of her body. It was almost laughable to her how with all her issues she still liked to wear tight clothing and short clothing— although it was usually just short shorts and maybe a shorter dress. Crop tops, if they were tight, were almost one hundred percent out of the question. As well as bodycon dresses, bikinis that weren’t high waisted, and skirts that didn’t flare out at least a little bit. But right now, Minnie was completely covered in sweatpants and a fresh t-shirt. 

“Maybe next time, boys,” she teased back. “And I’ll make it a private show.” 

“Holding you to it… you should’ve told us about your eye, Minnie, we wouldn’t have made you do the punishment.” Steve got serious again.

“It’s fine, I forgot to go to medical.” 

“It’s not fine. Yeah you forgot but we can clearly see why you didn’t feel well,” Bucky pressed. “Next time let us know, whether you have a note or not.” 

She nodded. It was nice that they cared so much. Both of them stepped into her room, not wanting to be in the hallway any longer. Minnie took a step back on instinct because she didn’t want them to look at her face any closer. That made them both suspicious and Steve reached her first. 

“You’re not going to practice tomorrow. Captain’s order,” he added when Minnie opened her mouth to protest. “Your face, Doll. You’re littered in red freckles. Medical would say the same thing if we went down to Dr. Cho right now. You’re pushing too hard in class.” 

She didn’t argue with him. She was just grateful they thought it was from overexerting herself in training, which was a reasonable cover-up for what was really going on. Bucky stepped up to see what Steve was talking about and immediately agreed with the other man. Minnie wasn't allowed to come back until the next practice mission where they would infiltrate a fake HYDRA base in various small groups. 

The whole time since Minnie couldn’t train and both men refused to take her on a morning run or let her workout, she didn’t eat. If she did have something it was a smoothie or coffee, maybe both on a better day. The hard part was hiding it from the team, especially the day that Sam decided he wanted to cook for everyone so Minnie had to pretend to sleep the better part of the day away. 

The day of the practice mission Minnie was at the hangar bright and early before everyone else. Her smile faded as she was told her group. The top five were all going to be leaders of their own units which meant she was captaining a group. That wouldn’t be a problem but how could she effectively lead people who didn’t like her and barely respected her. 

It was time to put on her big girl panties and lead anyway. Besides this was one of the few practice missions left before it was time for the final exam. Minnie's group was one person short, apparently Matthew had dropped out to join the FBI instead, but Minnie was determined to do just as well as the other groups that were at full capacity. Each group was briefed as the quinjet reached their destination. 

The fake HYDRA base was at one point a real facility but the Avengers had cleaned it out back when they first started and instead of real agents the recruits were facing a bunch of Tony’s bots while the team monitored from inside the jet. So far, as they expected, Minnie's team was doing the best at reaching their objective. They could hear Minnie giving instructions on the comm with people actually listening to her. 

“Four agents on the upper hallway,” Courtney spoke into the comm. 

“Can you take them out?” Minnie asked. 

“Negative, Minnie. Third agent by the door is bigger than the rest and protected.” 

“Is it the door we’re looking for?”

“I didn’t get a good look but I believe it is.”

They heard the woman's breathing in the comm before Minnie spoke up again. “Alright, team we move up to Courtney’s level. If she’s right we need all agents on board.” 

“Attack plan, Min?” Clark asked. 

“There’s four agents?”

“Yes.”

“Plan Blacksmith. Alright we move out in three, two… now.” 

Courtney slid across the corridor getting two headshots to one of the bots as she passed by while the rest of them ran up to join her. Minnie could yell at Tony when this was done. He made all the bots at practically the stats of Steve and Bucky as if they were running into super soldiers every mission. Hell when the recruits went on the lower level mission for real world experience Minnie was pretty sure they unexpectedly ran into slightly enhanced only twice and they were nowhere near Steve and Bucky. 

The bigger one was protected just like Courtney said. It was going to take hand to hand combat. The group was looking at Minnie since she was the one to take down Bucky the other day even if it was only briefly. But briefly was all they needed for someone else to slip in and grab the files. Minnie held up five fingers and the rest of them nodded knowing they should prepare for a five second window once she hit the floor with the bot— that was a little less than how long it took Bucky to break from Minnie's hold if she remembered correctly. She ran down the hallway, bringing the bot to her attention as it ran to meet Minnie. 

She pushed herself off the wall to jump up onto its shoulders. As Minnie wrapped her thighs around its neck she felt herself sway a little bit and get light-headed. Ignoring the feeling, Minnie squeezed her legs as much as possible. The group heard the clunk as she and the bot hit the ground and ran. Clark grabbed the file and they all raced out to see Minnie still on the floor but the bot nowhere to be seen. The Avengers panicked when Courtney’s voice came in through the comm. 

“I think we need a medic. Min’s down.” 

Minnie woke up in a hospital bed with an IV in. Through blurry eyes she saw the bag and internally freaked out. She had already had a coffee that morning, the IV was going to be too much. Ripping it out, she sat back and rubbed at her eyes. Once she actually woke up, Minnie became aware of the presences she felt in the room. The entire team was sitting in the room waiting for her to wake up. 

“You’re worse than Nat when she wakes up in medical,” Clint commented and Minnie groaned as they had all seen another episode. She was slipping and started to worry that they’d catch her soon. 

“Dr. Cho said it was lack—”

“Lack of nutrition,” Minnie cut Sam off. “I know. I wasn’t feeling well and skipped breakfast but I shouldn’t have before a mission.” 

“All that from missing one breakfast? That’s very extreme,” Bruce said. 

“It can happen, Bruce,” she snapped, which threw them all off. 

Sam cleared his throat. “Well, they said you were free to go when you woke up. You missed dinner, were out for the better part of the day.” 

Minnie nodded. It wasn’t like she wanted dinner anyway. Yes, she did. And they had already given her an IV so all her work last week was effectively ruined. Might as well eat dinner and dessert. Minnie already messed up anyway. The team left to go to bed and she snuck her way to the kitchen. 

She was crying as she entered thinking about how she could’ve cost her group points if she had passed out any sooner and they all got lucky. Through tears, Minnie gave a watery smile to no one in particular as she saw the little Tupperware container with her name written on a post-it note in Sam’s handwriting. She warmed the pasta and sat down on the floor to eat it. 

Bucky had gone to look for Minnie. Between the fainting incident and her snapping at Bruce, they knew something was wrong. Minnie wasn't in her room when he entered so he asked FRIDAY who said she had relocated to the kitchen. At first he thought maybe the AI was wrong, all the lights in the common room were turned off. But then he heard the soft crying before the crash of Tupperware and a fork. 

“Damn, you just had to eat the whole thing? First the mission, now the whole fucking pasta dish,” Minnie muttered to herself. 

“Doll?” 

He heard her whisper ‘shit’ before it got deadly silent. Minnie was willing Bucky to walk away but that wasn’t going to happen as she heard his footsteps get closer until he was standing right in front of her. Minnie didn’t look at him, forcing him to crouch down and lift her chin up himself. Bucky drew in a breath as he saw the tears, her red eyes, and the splotchiness of her face. 

“Are we going to act like I didn’t hear what you just said?”

“Can we?” Minnie asked with desperation. 

Bucky shook his head and she sighed knowing he probably was going to say no. Bucky put the dish in the sink and then extended a hand. When Minnie didn’t take it, he bent back down to pick her up. 

“No! Buck, I’m too heavy,” Minnie said in a moment of panic. 

Bucky stepped back but didn’t say anything. She cringed because she knew he probably figured it all out. He was quiet as he lifted her up with ease and carried her back to his and Steve’s room. Steve sat up with relief when Bucky plopped Minnie on the bed. Bucky sat down in his spot and gently grabbed her hands, that’s when Steve saw that she had been crying. 

“Minnie?”

“You weren’t supposed to find out,” she whispered. “No one was supposed to find out.” 

“The broken capillaries, that wasn’t from class was it?” 

She looked away from both of them. Steve took one of her hands from Bucky. 

“It’s anorexia and bulimia,” Minnie said after what felt like an hour. Both of their hands squeezed hers. 

“It’s not a normal binge and purge. The binges are usually normal sized meals for other people.” 

“Why?” Steve asked, softly. Both he and Bucky were afraid to raise their voices too much. 

“I’m big,” Minnie said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

“You’re a size four at the most. I’ve never seen you in anything past a medium and that’s still big.”

“Size two,” she whispered. 

“That’s even smaller.”

“But I’m a big size two.”

“That’s not a thing,” Bucky said. His next words came out very carefully. “Is there a certain size you’re aiming for?”

Minnie shook her head. The number she was at would make most people happy. As long as she stayed at that size, the number itself made her happy. 

“Just until I’m not big anymore.”

“Doll, you’re not big.”

“I know.” 

They both looked at each other. That wasn’t the response they were expecting. The tears started again and Minnie looked down. 

“I have body dysmorphia as well. I-I know technically I’m not big but I just don’t see it and I need to see it. I have thighs and a butt and a little stomach pouch and— and bigger arms.” 

“You’re just describing curves—”

“No!” Minnie pulled her hands from theirs. “It’s fat and it’s gross on me.” 

“You don’t know what you look like to everybody else do you?” 

She didn’t say anything because Bucky was right and Minnie knew it. There were moments of clarity and overall she was pretty sure that she was distorting how she really looked but since Minnie wasn't unhealthy looking it was hard for her to truly see anything. She wanted to stop but she also couldn’t because Minnie wasn't where she wanted— well she couldn’t see if she was where she wanted. Suddenly, Minnie was moved around so she was laying on the bed and the two soldiers were hovering above her. 

“We know we can’t magically make it all go away but will you listen to us, Doll?”

Minnie nodded and they both smiled as they laid back down on their stomachs on either side of her, propped up on their elbows. 

“Good,” Steve said with a sigh. “Tired of flirting with you with nothing happening.” 

“What?” Minnie turned her head to look at him. 

Steve didn’t answer the question, continuing as if he didn’t hear her say anything. Minnie shivered as his hand traced down her cheek and he moved her hands from where Minnie was covering herself up. His hand rested around her waist as Bucky’s hand found a home on her thigh. 

“See, I really like your waist and hips. Like how my arms wrap around you and how easily I can pull you into me. But Buck…”

“Thought I liked your lips the best till you took me down the other day, think I want you like that more often.”

“And we know you probably won’t believe us but everything about you is perfect. Because it’s you. Yeah, you’ve got curves and don’t argue because they’re curves, but there’s nothing wrong with that. And I’m not just saying this because it’s what you want to hear but no matter how you see yourself, no matter what you think you look like or how much the scales say you weigh, that size is small. You can only be so big and fit a two. You’re tiny, Doll.”

Bucky leaned in so close that Minnie felt his breath on her ear. “Not that we’re complaining. Kind of enjoy the size difference. How you’re always sandwiched between us like right now.” 

She sat up abruptly. “Did Wanda tell you?” 

“Bless her for being so damn nosy,” Bucky said. 

Steve pulled Minnie back down. “Sleep with us. We’ll talk more in the morning preferably when it doesn’t end in you crying.”

“I don’t have my…”

Bucky pulled open the nightstand drawer and dangled various bonnets and headscarves in Minnie's face. Her eyes flitted between the two of them as they smiled, clearly proud with themselves for thinking so far ahead. Her fingers gently ran through each one and she settled on the large oversized floral bonnet. Bucky put the rest back as Minnie tucked her hair into the cap. She wasn't sure what position she was supposed to be in, sleeping with three people was new to her— liking two people at the same time was new to her. Steve and Bucky waited for Minnie to get comfortable. 

In the end, they had a huge bed so Minnie settled for her favorite way to sleep, on her stomach with one leg lifted up a little. The action made both men groan and a lazy smile appeared on Minnie's face as they kept looking. 

“God, I love those shorts,” Bucky said. “Practically underwear… are you not wearing any?”

“Never do when I’m going to bed.” 

They both sucked in a breath. 

“Gonna be the death of us.” 

They settled into sleeping positions. Bucky liked to sleep on his side so he was pressed up against Minnie. Steve didn’t mind sleeping on his back so he moved her leg that was hiked up to be over him and settled into the bed. Minnie tensed as both of their hands gripped her waist, fingers falling over the sides. 

“Are you flexing?” Steve asked. 

“No… you guys are gonna feel the—”

“If you’re going to say something bad about yourself, don’t finish the thought.”

“… goodnight.” 

They both replied with ‘goodnights’ and the three fell asleep. 

The smell of coffee woke Minnie up as Steve came in with two coffees and a tea. He was very attentive to how Minnie and Bucky liked their drinks. Bucky accepted the mug of English Breakfast tea with milk by giving Steve a peck on the lips. Minnie was handed the homemade latte and a light press of Steve’s lips to her forehead followed immediately by Bucky’s lips to her cheek. She stretched carefully to avoid spilling the drink and pulled the bonnet off her head, scratching at curls to revive them.

“Are you comfortable telling us everything?”

Minnie explained how the problems started and every tactic she had used to hide it from people. She also assured them that it wasn’t their fault for not noticing sooner, she was good at hiding it. They listened intently as Minnie told them about the long pauses when she thought she might have recovered only to relapse. About how sometimes it was both disorders at once, other times it was one or the other. And how part of the reason they could never tell was because eating only one meal a day, especially not a big meal, was a form of disordered eating. So as long as she ate in their presence it was easy for them to assume she was eating the other meals. 

“I know objectively that I’m on the small side and that when I lay down my stomach’s pretty flat and sometimes you can see ribs. And when I look at other people I think they look amazing with the exact same measurements as me or even bigger but on myself it’s just… I also know that I don’t actually know what I look like. I’m so different in pictures versus the mirror but the mirror always wins. I want to stop, I really do. It’s hard.” 

“Is there anything we can do to make it better?” Steve asked.

“You guys aren’t responsible for me.”

“We want to help you. This isn’t a burden on us.” Bucky assured her. 

“I…”

“How about we just check on you? Will you try to come to us first if you feel bad?”

“I’ll try,” Minnie said with a nod. “Can we not tell the others?” 

“Of course we won’t… you just mean the disorder, right?”

“What else would I be talking about?”

“We were serious about last night. We want you, both of us but private’s not really our style.”

“Want to show our doll off to everyone,” Steve added.

“Oh, really? You both actually like me?”

“Finish that coffee and we’ll show you how much we really like you.” 

Minnie gulped down the rest of the coffee under their intense stare. As soon as she set the mug down on the nightstand, Minnie felt herself get pulled by her ankles towards them. Lips were all over her as well as four hands, three warm and one cold. Minnie was the only one fully naked but that didn’t seem to bother Steve or Bucky who were focused on her and her pleasure. 

“Do you believe us now, pretty doll?” Bucky asked as he kissed her. 

Minnie nodded as Steve came back with a washcloth and one of his shirts and Bucky’s briefs. He cleaned her up, kissing Minnie as well, and she slipped on the clothes. Both men were happy she had the practice mission the other day because it meant Minnie wasn't going to training and could stay in bed with them. She eventually got up to quickly get toiletries from her room. They chuckled watching her enter the bathroom with them since she ran on her tiptoes because the floor was cold. There were only two sinks so Minnie sat on the space between them as she brushed her teeth. Bucky’s free hand was drawing circles on her leg. They finished before her since Minnie's skin routine was a little more robust. 

She flicked the light off and entered the bedroom again, pausing when she saw the full length mirror. Minnie was littered in love bites. Of course the two men were admiring their work. While they were already focused on her, they became more alert when they saw Minnie's gaze switch from the hickeys to her body overall. Steve got up from the couch when Minnie turned around to look at her backside with a frown on her face. He pressed up against her, grabbing fistfuls of Minnie's butt covering it up with his hands. 

“Our pretty doll, lookin’ so nice in our clothes ain’t that right, Buck?”

“Still think those little shorts are a personal favorite but watching Stevie’s shirt hang on you makes me want to rip it off that much more.”

“Just right… I think we should step away from the mirror now, don’t you?” 

Minnie looked at him through the reflection of the mirror. Whenever her eyes flitted down, all she saw were Steve’s hands. He leaned down to rest his chin on the top of her head, rocking them both back and forth. 

“I know it’s not a fix-it phrase but you really do look amazing. Will you walk away from the mirror with me? I think we’re making Buck a little lonely.” 

Minnie looked over to where Bucky had now moved to standing in the doorway and started to walk. It wasn’t until Minnie was completely out of the mirror’s view that Steve removed his hands. The three of them went down to the common room. 

“You guys are just in time for breakfast!” Sam said, chirpily. “Woah. The shirts keep getting shorter, Minnie. Not that I’m complaining.”

Bucky’s arm snaked around her waist. “Back off, she’s not single anymore.” 

That drew everyone’s attention from their food at the table. A couple of them whistled while Sam just looked on, mouth agape. They continued looking when Steve’s arm also rested around Minnie just below Bucky’s. 

“Well damn.” 

Minnie took the opportunity while everyone was distracted to move to the couch without getting food. Bucky poured a very tiny bowl of cereal for Minnie and wordlessly handed it to her. 

“It’s only four spoonfuls,” Bucky said. 

He and Steve knew it would take her a while to get better and wanted to start slow. Instead of skipping breakfast completely, they figured maybe tiny versions of each meal would be better. Even if the portions only added up to one real meal, it at least normalized an eating schedule. Bucky was right, it was only four spoonfuls. But the coffee from earlier combined with the fact that Minnie wanted to have dinner that night made her feel some kind of way. She started to stand up when Bucky grabbed her hand. 

“Just lay down, Minnie. Please.” 

“But it hurts.” 

They looked at her with sad eyes. That was another thing Minnie told them about. Part of the reason it was so hard to stop was because of how her throat burned and she felt like the itch wouldn’t go away until she purged. Bucky used his strength to pull Minnie back to the couch. He moved her so her head was in his lap and her feet were in Steve’s. 

“What did you say to us earlier?” he asked as he rubbed her shoulder. 

“I want to stop,” Minnie whispered. 

Steve drummed his fingers along her legs. “Then let us help you stop.” 

She nodded and melted into their touch, letting them hold her and keep her there until the feeling subsided. 


	2. Chapter 2

“Rankings are out. There will be only one more re-ranking after this before your final exam,” Sharon said as she posted the sheet up. 

The team watched from the one-way mirror. Even Tony and Bruce were there instead of with the IT and Science Departments despite the fact that their rankings were also coming out today. Everyone agreed that the field agent ranking was much more entertaining. As soon as Sharon closed the door behind her, everyone ran up to the sheet doing everything but throwing elbows to get to the front. Minnie bounced on the yoga ball off to the side. It’s not like the sheet was going to magically change so she would just wait till everyone else finished checking and complaining. 

“What the fuck?” She heard Lisa exclaim since she reached the sheet first. Everyone was waiting for her to say something. 

“How the hell is Minnie number one?!” 

That made Minnie look up from watching the undone laces on her sneakers jump up and down as she bounced on the ball. Everyone’s eyes were on her but only Clark, Courtney, and Morgan were happy for Minnie. The others were seething. 

“Your lazy ass doesn’t even push as hard as us.”

That caused tears to pinprick at the corner of Minnie's eyes. Sam had to be grabbed by Tony to sit down and not enter the room— technically none of the recruits but Minnie knew that there even was a two-way mirror in the training room. The whirring of Bucky’s metal plates sounded loudly in the room the Avengers were in as he clenched it into a fist as hard as possible. 

Being called lazy was one of Minnie's triggers and he knew it. She heard that and in her mind turned it into 'you’re a cow and everyone can see it because you can’t do anything'. And that tended to spiral into something worse that was harder to get Minnie out of because there was no real way to win. 

They couldn’t distract her with other attributes about herself because she was confident in those. Not once did Minnie ever associate her other values like intelligence with her physical body so they couldn’t even draw her focus elsewhere. They would try but it ended in Minnie responding with she knew how smart she was because why wouldn’t she be and then return to poking at parts of her body. Bucky was on edge and was debating whether to burst into the training room anyway, regardless of the fact that they weren’t supposed to. 

“Hey, she literally masters moves in seconds!” Clark said as Courtney aggressively nodded her head in agreement. 

“What did you do?” one of them asked. Minnie shrugged because she really didn’t know. 

“I knew it was special treatment!” Lisa said. “Misses weeks of class and passes out on a mission but still at the top.”

There were murmurs of agreement. On the other side of the mirror, the team was watching with rage in their eyes. Nat told Fury they should’ve kept Minnie's ranking number five despite the fact that she qualified for one. Fury wasn’t having it, he said that Minnie was the top so they were putting her there especially since they wanted her on the team. He was over the nonsense but the rest of the team said he hadn’t seen it. So he compromised that this week they would put Minnie's true ranking and he would join them to watch Ranking Day and see the drama for himself. 

“What did you do?” Ryan asked. 

“Hmm?” 

“It can’t just be because you live with them. So what is it? You their little maid? Clean the whole place for them, do their laundry, wash their dishes.” 

“I just live here, I’m not—”

“She’s probably sleeping with someone,” one of the others suggested. 

“Drop it, guys!” Morgan stood up for her friend. 

Minnie went wide-eyed. That was supposed to be a secret. It hadn’t been long since the first time she slept in Steve and Bucky’s bed, only a week and she hadn’t done anything with them since then. But it was only the team who knew. They kept it that way on purpose for the very reason Minnie was being accused of now. The other recruits saw her face and Ryan smirked knowing they hit a nerve. 

“So it’s true? Which one of the trainers is it? Agent Carter? Wilson?”

“I’m not—” Minnie tried to protest.

“Don’t lie we all saw your face. Is it Agent Romanoff? God wait what if it’s not one of our trainers, bet it’s Mr. Stark, you’re always down at IT,” Lisa said. 

“Maybe it’s all of them?” Ryan muttered under his breath. “You seem like the type, would let anyone hit it.”

Minnie had to refrain from yelling at them, nothing she said was probably going to change their minds. It wasn’t worth arguing with them. Minnie just had to bite her tongue and all this training would finally be over and she wouldn’t have to be in their class any more but an actual agent and she'd request not to be put on a team with most of them. Sharon or Maria would certainly listen and agree to keep the team Minnie had for the previous practice mission, assuming they all made it. 

“Wait.” Ryan drew everyone’s attention to him. “No one’s meaner than Captain and Sarge, that it? They just do it for appearance? You crawl into bed with one of them… both of them?” 

“Nah, Min’s not much of a looker. Can’t see her being their type.” Cam added, causing laughter amongst a few.

“I mean we’ve all seen them right? Greek gods those two,” Lisa said, the others murmuring in agreement. The conversation shifted a bit from the woman and more towards Steve and Bucky. 

“Bet they’d take only supermodels. Tall as hell, you know.”

“Then Courtney has the best chance out of us,” someone else said but Minnie wasn't paying attention to who anymore. She was just focused on not crying which meant not moving from her spot until she had it under control. 

“Totally, all leg. You could make an Amazonian jealous, maybe you should try it. Be like Min, bet Cap would bump you right up to the top.”

“That’s enough!” Courtney yelled. “You guys are being assholes to Minnie and it’s getting old.” 

“Maybe you’d actually be successful at it,” Ryan said, clearly ignoring Courtney’s anger. “Cap and Sarge probably turned Minnie down. My money’s on Romanoff, who’s with me?”

That broke her. Minnie abruptly stood up from the yoga ball and ran out of the room, purposely avoiding the hands of Clark, Courtney, and Morgan who tried to grab her. She turned the corner quickly in case they chose to chase after her because she knew they wouldn’t know about the corridor that led to the room with the two-way mirror. 

“Is it true?” Minnie asked through tears as she stood in front of Steve and Bucky. 

“Of course not,” Bucky started. “You got that spot because you d—”

“Not that! N-not that, am I your type?” 

“What? Minnie, you’re literally our girlfriend. Badass but friendly, understanding, smart, oddly innocent cute face for that mouth of yours. What could be more our type?” 

“I know I’m smart, Buck. Am I your type? Not my face, it’s cute whatever am I your body type? Do you guys find me attractive, physically attractive?” 

Bucky and Steve searched her eyes to see Minnie was completely serious and desperate for an answer, although if they said what she was thinking they would say then she would be devastated. They were confused that Minnie would even ask that question. She took their brief pause as agreement with Cam and started crying even harder, speaking before either got a chance to open their mouth. 

“Is that why we haven’t done anything since… you two can break up with me if you don’t like me. It’s okay, I-I know it was a mistake. You don’t have to lead me on just because I like you, it hurts more thinking I have a chance. Not everyone likes bigger girls, it’s fine not to like me. I’ve seen the women you bring back. I know I don’t look like them, all white and skinny. Really tall. You can say Cam was ri…”

Steve wasn’t going to let her rant any longer when it turned down the dark path Minnie was headed. He grabbed the sides of her face and kissed her roughly, wiping tears with his thumbs at the same time. 

“Those women were specifically because they didn’t look like you. Would’ve made it harder to resist you and try to get over you if they had. Haven’t done anything because we’re moving at your pace. We know it’s all new for you but we like and want you, God, we want you so bad. Okay? You’re just our type.” 

He knew after the way Minnie threw Bucky’s compliments about her personality back in his face that she was only focused on physical. This is where it always got tricky. If they gave compliments based on the size Minnie saw herself it would subside the issue but they’d be lying and while that would be fine it could cause her to lose more than is healthy for her. But if they said anything based on Minnie's real size, how long would it be before she didn’t believe them again? 

And the therapist’s words didn’t change or help, not by much. They learned that after Minnie told them about a session and why it was so hard for her— because she accepted fat on everyone but her, so the problem wasn’t the notion of being big itself the problem was solely it being on Minnie. How she saw herself in a cracked lens versus the crystal clear and potentially rose-tinted lens Minnie saw everyone else with. 

She was shaking her head at Steve’s words. Steve moved Minnie to sit on the table as he stood in front of her. Bucky was there shortly, moving her head to the side so his lips were on hers and just as rough as Steve’s. 

“Minnie?”

Steve brought her attention back to him as he rubbed small circles on her hand. 

“Where are you, pretty doll? This isn’t just about us liking you, is it?” 

“Why would you do that? Why did you move my rank?”

“Because you’ve advanced so much. It’s the rank you should be at, not number five.” 

“The others work harder than me. Lisa was right, they push so hard.”

“Says the girl that is always taking the worst punishments,” Bucky said.

“Maybe I wouldn’t need them if I wasn’t so lazy like they said.”

“Five hundred reps of abs in a single sitting doesn’t sound like a lazy person to me. Why are you shaking your head again?”

“I must be lazy then. All those punishments and I’m still fat.” Minnie picked at her fingernails.

Her last comment sent Steve and Bucky into a stunned stupor, especially considering Minnie had revealed her secret to the entire team. And that was something she was so apprehensive about doing when she didn’t even want the two of them to know at first. They knew the other recruits’ comments did a number on her, that the dam had just broken and because Minnie trusted the two of them it didn’t matter who else was in the room. 

The rest of the team wasn’t sure if they should leave but they also couldn’t tear their eyes away from the scene in front of them. Was Minnie saying what they really thought she was saying? Like Bucky and Steve they were trying to figure out all the times she might’ve let it slip and they just didn’t notice.

Nat cut in.

“We all decided to move you because you deserved it, not because of anything personal. You mastered my move and others on the first try and your team finished your mission with the fastest time and you leading them even after you had been absent for several classes. You’re number one because you’re the best.”

Bucky brushed Minnie's cheekbone with his metal finger. “You eat breakfast this morning?”

“I shouldn’t have,” she said, not caring that the others were still in the room. She figured her last remark when she had forgotten briefly it wasn’t just the three of them exposed her and they could figure it out. 

“Minnie.” 

“I had an apple and toast.”

“With jelly?”

“Butter… two pieces.” 

“Good, lunch?”

“No.” Minnie focused on Steve’s hands in hers instead of looking at Bucky. “But it was because Ranking Day made me too nervous the closer we got to the time.”

“Well, we can’t win all the time. Stevie and I were going to dinner after this, do you want to come with us? We can finally take you on a first date.” 

“I think I just want to take a nap, Buck. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, we’ll raincheck the date. Do you want us to bring you back something?”

Minnie's stomach growled to answer his question. He laughed and so did Steve as his hands wrapped around her waist, hands slipping under the fabric of her shirt. A brief frown flashed across his face. 

“Are you flexing again?” he asked as he felt her core muscles were really tight underneath his hands. 

That was one of the last things he or Bucky wanted was Minnie feeling uncomfortable under their touch. It was one of the reasons they only slept with her that one time and even then it hadn’t been all the way. They wanted Minnie to be a little bit more okay before adding sex to complicate anything. Their touch was supposed to bring her pleasure not make her overthink how her body felt to them underneath their hands. Minnie shook her head as a no to Steve’s question but both men raised their eyebrows not completely believing her. 

“It does that sometimes. I don’t know how but it’ll just sink in?” Minnie offered as best an explanation as she could. 

His fingertips gently brushed upwards.

“Doll, I,” Steve hesitated, not sure if this was something she really wanted everyone to know. “I can feel the bottom of your ribcage.” 

“Yeah, I can too when the muscles tighten. It goes away when they relax, I usually just wait and they’ll relax eventually.”

He and Bucky nodded with relieved sighs. Minnie yawned and Steve’s hands left her so she could jump down from the table. Before she could leave the room, they called her back just for little kisses. They pressed kisses to Minnie's temple at the same time. 

“What do you want us to bring you back?” Bucky asked. 

“Nothing.”

“Minnie.” 

“Do they have tomato soup?” 

“I think so. And if they don’t?”

“Chicken noodle, everyone’s got to have chicken noodle. It’s not a good restaurant if they don’t.”

“Hard to argue with that logic. You gonna take your nap in our room?”

“Can I?”

“You’re welcome to our bed any time, pretty doll.” 

He threw in the nickname so it would be the last thought Minnie had before sleeping, a pleasant thought about her body. She nodded in thanks. They let her go after getting an order from her. If the restaurant did have the first choice of tomato soup, they’d ask for a side of vegetables just so Minnie would have a little more to eat but was less likely to feel guilty about it. 

The room grew heavy with silence once Minnie eas gone. Steve and Bucky faced the others again, Steve speaking first. 

“It’s best if we don’t all dogpile on her. She doesn’t need the whole team breathing down her neck about if she ate.”

The team nodded. Clint spoke very carefully knowing he was treading on thin ice. 

“Does she know she’s not… she knows she’s more than a size, right?”

Bucky snorted. “Minnie? Of course she does. If you only heard her on our morning runs.” 

He pulled out his best imitation of her. 

“People should be happy I value being such a nice person. Buck, can you believe the IQ test I took the other day dropped me a point, I’d like to point out it was only because I read the question too quickly. Stevie, I know my eyes are pretty, freaking gemstones. I like hearing you say it anyway, tell me one more time how you get lost in ‘em.”

Steve laughed at Bucky’s imitation because while it didn’t sound like Minnie, the quotes were exact things she had said while working out with them. Word for word, Bucky had the little phrases memorized. The rest of the Avengers chuckled a bit as well because, yeah, that sounded like Minnie. 

Fury wouldn’t stop looking at the mirror where he was still watching the other recruits that were talking and packing up to leave. He didn’t know that was going to happen and felt responsible. He was going to listen to them next time and it was agreed upon, even if unspoken, that Minnie wasn't going to be ranked that high again despite the fact that had earned it. 

Steve grabbed Bucky’s hand, giving his boyfriend a kiss, before the two of them headed to the restaurant for dinner. They hadn’t had a proper date in a while since missions and training, mainly missions, got in the way. Usually they settled for dates inside the compound because it was just more convenient and if someone got called away, they wouldn’t waste a reservation. The restaurant did have Minnie's first choice of tomato soup and Bucky ordered it with a side of their roasted asparagus towards the end of the date. 

* * *

Natural light was streaming into their room because Minnie had the blinds rolled up to let in a little bit of light but not too much since she didn’t flip the switch to the overhead in the bedroom. Steve and Bucky almost missed her, thinking she might’ve slept in her room instead, until their duvet suddenly shifted. Minnie had curled up so much in the middle of the bed, the duvet piled multiple times over her, that the outline of her body was buried completely. 

She stretched out, causing the shift in the first place, and the two men who were still standing in the doorway of their room felt their hearts swoon while their thoughts went to less than pure places. Even fully stretched out and already in the middle of the bed, Minnie's feet didn’t reach the edge of the bed. That was something they really liked about her. When Bucky whispered in her ear that they loved the size difference between the three of them and how he and Steve sandwiched Minnie in, he wasn’t talking about body shape but her height. 

In a sweet way, they loved how her being short compared to them gave them a sense of protecting her— not that Minnie couldn’t defend herself, they were well aware of that. How Minnie always had to look up at them to get a kiss. How her oversized bonnets really brought attention to how short she was. And for the longest, her playful pouts when she messed with the team seemed to have their cuteness accentuated by Minnie's height or lack thereof. In a less than sweet fashion, they definitely had a thing about size differences— maybe because they were so close in height to each other. 

Something fueled the two men, the idea of Minnie wriggling underneath them or struggling on top of them once they could touch her. Steve liked the thought of taking her up against the wall, having to lift Minnie up in order to be eye level with him. Bucky liked the thought of Minnie begging, having to stand on her tiptoes to try and reach his lips in attempts at kissing him while she pleaded for him to finally touch her. 

And both of them reveled in the notion of towering over Minnie as she was being manhandled into different positions pinned between them— especially her folded beneath both of them, getting the effects of two super-soldiers driving her into the bed, her short stature being completely hidden to the top man by the man in the middle. 

Bucky flipped the light on now that the sun was setting. Minnie whined when she felt the bed dip with the added weight of two super-soldiers and curled back up into a ball, underneath sheets so they couldn’t see her, making either man want to pull her into their lap. Minnie's head finally poked out, eyes closed, bottom lip jutted out. They could see she was in a headscarf instead of a bonnet, this time. 

“How long are you gonna keep your eyes shut?” Bucky asked. 

“Till I fall back asleep. You ruined my nap, I thought your date would be longer otherwise I wouldn’t have watched TV with Sam and Wanda.” 

Minnie threw off the covers and rolled onto her back, lids still shut tight. Both men drew in breaths as they saw her nap attire especially after they had already been thinking filthy thoughts in the doorway. 

“It’s taking everything in me not to jump you right now, Minnie.”

“Hmm?” 

“Pretty doll doesn’t even remember what she went to bed in, Steve.” 

Minnie popped open an eye unsure of what Bucky was talking about. Lifting an arm over her face, she saw the red cotton of Bucky’s henley. She flopped a little over Bucky’s lap, giving Steve a nice view of her bare lower half— Bucky looking over when he saw the other man staring so hard. 

“I took a shower in your bathroom and didn’t want to get clothes. Do you mind?” 

Bucky shook his head ferociously. Out of anything, he wanted her dressed like this permanently. The shirt rode up even more over the curve of Minnie's butt and he and Steve were positive they were going to draw blood with how hard they were biting their bottom lips. Minnie wiggled over Bucky’s lap when she saw the white paper bag, struggling because his metal arm had her pinned around the waist— and when he wasn’t paying attention, the arm could be deadweight. 

“Did they have tomato?” Minnie asked excitedly. 

That snapped both men out of their lust-filled haze. Minnie genuinely excited about food was something they hadn’t seen in a long time and after the incident in the afternoon they thought they wouldn’t. Her nap had restarted her system, hunger being the only thing she could focus on when she woke up and she wanted to actually satiate it. 

This was nothing new to Minnie— the sudden being okay with food. It was because she was having a moment of clarity that started when she had stepped out of their shower. As she was wrapping the towel around her, Minnie saw her body and it matched the size chart and measurements that she had permanently ingrained in her head. It made Minnie giddy as she checked herself out a few times before eagerly slipping on the first shirt she found in their dresser. Now she could eat. She wasn't sure how long it would last, could be a few hours at worst or a few months at best. Minnie turned in Bucky’s arm and looked up at him. 

“Buuuucckk, did they have tomato soup?”

“Hmm, yeah, yeah, they did. We got you some asparagus too.”

Minnie pulled at his shirt to bring him down into a kiss. “Thank you.” 

Her foot poked at Steve when she pulled away, digging into his thigh as a push of affection since he was too far away to kiss. As Minnie twisted her body again to grab the food, Bucky aggressively yanked down the hem of his shirt to keep her covered. She peaked in the bag as she sat up against the headboard. 

“You guys got me a Sprite,” Minnie said with a little gleam in her eye as she unpacked the soup and the little dish of asparagus. 

She was actually eating rather enthusiastically and Steve found Minnie's little food dance cute when she took the first spoonful of soup. They listened to Minnie tell them about her dream in between bites. It was very random including being robbed by a kangaroo and speaking a made up language to negotiate with it for her phone back. 

Their eyes occasionally flicked down to the dishes in Minnie's hand and lap, watching as she continuously ate and they could actually see it going down. She finished all the asparagus, half the can of Sprite, and half the bowl of tomato soup. Minnie put the lid back on the soup and handed it to Bucky since he was closer to the nightstand and she didn’t feel like reaching over him. 

“Remind me to put it in the fridge so I can save it for tomorrow. That place makes really good food, will you two take me some time?”

“Of course,” Steve answered. 

“I needed that. I love soup, it makes your heart all warm… cuddle with me.”

“You’re our little needy doll,” Bucky joked as they both got up to shower and change into softer clothes. 

“I’ve had a long day,” Minnie yelled so they could hear her in the bathroom.

“We know, baby. Hard day on our strong girl.” Steve was back in the bed first, peppering her face in kisses. “Your brown eyes are drawing me in like the abyss.”

“Of course they are, Stevie, they’re freaking gemstones. Tell me again,” she basked in the compliment. 

“Unh-unh.” Steve chuckled when Minnie frowned before he kissed her, nipping at her bottom lip briefly. 

“I’ve got a new one for you. Love your shiny brown skin, lighting you up in the sun like an angel… you enjoyed that one?”

His question was more of a statement as he wore a slight smirk on his face when he moved to hover over Minnie. It wasn’t hard for him to hear the hitch in her breath and see the smile she always got when he and Bucky complimented her. Steve lowered to his elbows so that their noses were touching, some of his body settled on her like a weighted blanket. 

“Hmm, Minnie? Did you like that compliment? Because it’s a fact, you know. The contrast between me and Buck looks so nice like the highlights and shadows of my charcoal sketches. Can I draw you some time, pretty doll, huh? Gonna let me draw you?”

She leaned up to his ear. “Like a French girl, Captain. Just for you, all for you.” 

Steve groaned and quickly caught her bottom lip between his teeth. His fingers left pinpricks of tingles as he traced up Minnie's leg and stopped on her thigh. He got off of her and pulled her onto his chest. 

“You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?” he asked just as Bucky came out of the bathroom. 

“What’s she doing?” He settled onto the bed. 

“Putting her cute face to shame with such a dirty mouth.” 

Bucky chuckled and pushed Steve over so he could be the biggest spoon. The tips of Bucky’s fingers were able to reach Minnie and she liked being able to have contact with both of them even if she wasn't in between them.

“What’s up, Minnie?” Bucky asked as he heard her sigh over the noise of the television that she had turned on. 

“What if it doesn’t last? If I wake up tomorrow and the mirror looks weird again?” 

“Then we get through it like we get through everything else.” 


	3. Chapter 3

Minnie woke up just fine… and a little sweaty. The amount of body heat coming off of the two men would’ve been welcomed except she had turned on the heat when she was napping and neither Steve nor Bucky had turned it off before coming to bed. Minnie wiggled out of Steve’s hold and swung her legs over the bed. The loss of contact woke Steve up and when he moved to see where she went that woke Bucky up. 

Both of them slowly opened their eyes just as she stood up, still not aware they were awake. They stayed silent watching her stretch. Was it a little creepy? Probably but the view of Minnie's naked bottom half as the red henley rose up was too good to stop. She moved to their dresser and they became curious. 

Minnie had always had a few spare things in their drawers from staying late with them at night when they were just friends— and now that they thought about it, she didn’t have to put on Bucky’s shirt last night because they were positive she had clean clothes in their dresser including underwear. That was made apparent when Minnie pulled out a bra and underwear set. 

“FRIDAY?” she whispered, thinking the two men were still asleep. 

“Yes, Miss Minnie?” The AI whispered back. 

“Today is May 15th right?”

“It is.”

“Okay, thought so. Does Tony’s little Dum-E waiter actually work?”

“What would you like to get?”

“My makeup bag and hair stuff from my bathroom.”

“Coming right up, Miss Minnie.” 

“Wait!” Minnie whisper-yelled as she poked her head back out of the bathroom. “My purse and nude heels too please?” 

She slipped on the underwear after brushing her teeth and walked into the super-soldiers’ closet. She was quietly humming some song they didn’t know but recognized from a night at the club with the team. They couldn’t see Minnie anymore but could hear the rummaging of clothes and the swishing of hangers going back and forth. She came back out pulling a brown belt through jeans that were pooling at her feet. 

The jeans were Bucky’s, they could tell, and the shirt she had yet to button up belonged to Steve. Minnie ran over to the door as Dum-E knocked on it. She was impressed. The things she actually asked for were sitting on the tray. She thanked the machine and closed the door again. Minnie finished buttoning up the shirt. Plopping down on the floor in front of the mirror, she removed her headscarf and started spraying her hair to remoisturize and reactivate the coils. Doing it in a quick style she liked, Minnie moved on to base makeup. 

Standing back up, Minnie slipped on the heels and cuffed the jeans so they were the correct length. Bucky and Steve held their breath as she really analyzed herself in the mirror, ready to jump up at a moment’s notice. She was frowning but not at herself, well, not at her body. They watched her unbutton and rebutton Steve’s shirt multiple times, making the shirt look a little different each time as she tried to style it. Minnie smiled in satisfaction when she found a way that she liked— half tucked in on the right front side, the cuffs unbuttoned since the sleeves were a little longer than her arm. 

“Pretty doll,” Minnie sang as she sorted through lipsticks and glosses trying to figure out which one she wanted to put on.

“Pretty pretty doll. Nice and smart and smart and nice. I’ll kick your ass in a fight.”

Steve and Bucky chuckled to themselves, exchanging looks, as she repeated the short song, wiggling back and forth except for the pause to put on her lip gloss. Minnie did various poses in the mirror before turning around and lifting the back of the shirt to look at her butt. Suddenly, she jumped into a twerk pose holding a serious face for a few seconds and then breaking into a fit of giggles— making her boyfriends smile. She was really enjoying herself. This was the first time they saw her check herself out in the mirror in a positive manner. 

“I love the dresses and shorts on you but damn something about our clothes,” Steve finally spoke, causing Minnie to yelp in surprise. 

“For a super spy, you’ve done a shitty job noticing we’re awake,” Bucky said.

“How much did you see?” she asked, a little embarrassed that they had caught her in the mirror. 

“Not much,” Steve started. “Nice and smart.”

“And smart and nice,” Bucky piggybacked immediately as they sang her little song.

Minnie groaned and stomped back over to them, sitting on the edge of the bed. Steve handed Minnie her phone when she asked for it. 

“Where are you headed?”

“High-school reunion, got the alumni email a couple months ago. I need to come correct, stunt on everyone.”

“Aren’t reunions supposed to be sweet?” 

Minnie laughed and the other two exchanged looks. Sending off a text, Minnie locked her phone again and looked at them. 

“Maybe your reunions were sweet; but, nowadays, we’re trying to see who’s doing the best. You know who’s a trophy wife, already on a third divorce, top lawyer, plastic surgery, failed career. It’s brutal… I love it.” 

“What?” 

“I work a classified job already putting me in like the top thirty, right, because I’m all aloof. Was literally dirt poor with no home after it burned down but came up so hard, that makes me top twenty-five. I’ve got not one boyfriend but two. So now top fifteen? They’re Captain America and the Winter Soldier. Even if I can’t tell them who, I’m top five. I win.” 

“You can tell them,” Bucky said. 

“I can?” Minnie asked, hopeful. “But I thought because I was still a recruit you’d want to keep up appearances. You know, the whole boss employee thing.”

“Any of your old classmates work at S.H.I.E.L.D.?”

She shook her head. 

“I think it’s fine, Steve?” 

“I see no problem.”

“Really? The reunion isn’t all day, we can go to dinner tonight. First date.”

The two of them agreed with Minnie and said they would find a place so she should just worry about her reunion and not reservations. Bucky looked over as Steve got quiet after Minnie left, saying she was meeting one of her old classmates for brunch before the reunion. She was giddy to brag about them to everyone. Minnie wished that she had filed for plus two at the reunion but she RSVP’d way before Bucky and Steve made their interests explicit to her. 

“What are you thinking about, punk?” Bucky asked. 

“It’s kind of hot don’t you think? The whole boss employee thing, trying not to get caught until their training’s done.”

Bucky chuckled, wearing a devious smile on his face. “You’re a little freaky aren’t you?”

Steve rolled over. “You know you like the idea. Someone almost walking in on us in your office, making her stay behind after workouts… the recruits’ locker room when the rest of them have left.”

“You gonna do something about the hard-on you’ve given me this morning with those thoughts?” 

The team was hanging around the kitchen area just talking when Minnie came back. Now that most of her lipgloss had worn off, she gladly kissed Bucky and Steve after approaching them. The team asked questions about the reunion, careful to avoid anything food or weight related— Minnie was bragging that Lulu’s jaw almost hit the floor when she heard who Minnie was dating. Both super-soldiers felt their egos inflate as they puffed out their chests slightly. 

“Everyone still thinks I’m the nicest. I’m honestly surprised they remembered, I feel like I didn’t live my high school life too loud. A couple parties, a few dates but nothing that made everyone look at me. Well except for the one time I was asked to prom in morning assembly in front of the entire school. And not to be a bitch but the guy who asked me is actually a surgeon now so are we doing better than a good chunk of them, uh, yeah.” 

The team laughed as she pretended to dust her shoulder off. Minnie had the uncanny ability to read people but still be nice about it, that was part of what made her Tony’s favorite. Her back was flush against Bucky as she talked. He was the more grabby of the two. Bucky liked the fact that Minnie wasn't apprehensive about his metal arm at all. People were only comfortable with it in two settings, fighting and sex. Up until they met her, Steve was the only person who was never nervous about the arm in daily life. 

Then Minnie came along and on Day 1 when all the recruits were shaking hands with their trainers she stuck out her right hand forcing Bucky to use his left to shake it. He watched her shiver under the cold touch but Minnie never pulled away or seemed afraid. So now, Bucky used every opportunity to touch her with his metal arm— as if he was trying to prove it could be used for tenderness and softness. 

“The food didn’t look good which was just shitty because brunch was bad. The girls said it was popular but I don’t know how anyone liked that stuff, couldn’t eat anything.”

The team was too afraid to tread on that territory even if Minnie went there first— especially since they heard that she seemed to be in a good place since last night. So they just looked to Steve and Bucky to say something and ask questions. Bucky rubbed his hand up her arm, causing Minnie to shiver like she almost always did.

“Food sucked, huh?”

“Mmm hmm. But the smoothie shop nearby was open, left a little early but I don’t think anyone noticed. Oh, I should’ve asked if you two wanted smoothies. It slipped my mind, sorry.”

“It’s fine.” 

Minnie turned around in his arms, closer to his height in the heels. She held up the cup in her hand to his face but he shook his head, truly not wanting any. The two of them had differing tastes in what was considered a good smoothie. Minnie looked over to Steve and pressed the straw to his lips. He was hesitant at first since this seemed to be her only meal so far and with it already being the afternoon there wasn’t a guarantee that Minnie would eat dinner. But then he felt the slight poke to his bottom lip as she accidentally pressed the cup further than she meant to. 

Steve thought back that Minnie was always feeding him, Bucky, other members of the team. He wasn’t quite sure what exactly it meant but he thought maybe it was related to her disorder. So he took a good sip, watching Minnie watch him with focused and bright eyes. She subconsciously nodded as she took another sip, satisfied that she had witnessed him eating. Steve put his hand out when Minnie leaned the cup back towards him, not wanting to take more of her food than necessary. 

“I’m leaving on a mission in a few hours so we’ll have to rain check… again. This weekend. Promise.”

“It’s okay, Stevie. We’ll just do something else at the compound till you get back. Ooh, movie musicals, we can watch those. Right, Buck, can we? Will you watch with me?”

He was biting back a smile as she looked up at him— this was the start of that begging scenario he played over and over again in his head, albeit normally with less clothes. Minnie was waiting expectantly while drinking the smoothie. It was all so innocent but he still wanted to milk it, just to give himself more source material when he thought about it. 

“I don’t know, seems like too much singing.”

“Please?” Minnie whined. 

“Don’t you and Wanda like to watch them?”

“I wanna watch with you, today.” She craned her neck upwards to try and kiss him. “Please?”

He nodded, giving her a kiss on the temple. When he pulled away he saw Minnie grinning wide around the straw. She was already thinking of which movies she wanted to watch with him. Setting the smoothie cup on the counter Minnie left Bucky’s arms, wanting to change out of the heels and take off the makeup. Steve got the final kiss since he was leaving before she walked off with a slight pep in her step. He picked up the smoothie cup and shook it, hearing that there was a significant amount left. She'd probably come back for it so he put it in the fridge right at the front where Minnie would be sure to see it. 

* * *

“You know this whole thing by heart?” Bucky asked when there was finally a break in the singing. 

Minnie nodded. “It’s not too hard when you’ve heard the soundtrack a thousand times. I was hoping you’d pick this one first, Dreamgirls is one of my favorites.” 

“It’s good… I’m not saying I’m joining you and Wanda’s musical nights but this one’s really good.”

Minnie snickered and went back to singing under her breath as the movie went on. Bucky felt her get restless about halfway through. He peeled his eyes from the screen to look down at her tapping on his metal arm that was draped over her. She snuck a glance at him and he finally asked her what she was thinking about. 

“You really like the movie,” Minnie observed, causing Bucky to chuckle. 

“Where’s this going?”

“Whenever we watch movies I really like, one of you is always cuddling me and it makes the movie better.”

“And?” Bucky coaxed when she stopped talking. 

“I wanna do that, cuddle you… I want to be the big spoon while we watch the movie.”

“You won’t be able to see the movie.” 

“If we cuddled in a different position?”

“Okay.”

They repositioned so Bucky’s head was on her chest. He sighed as Minnie absentmindedly played with his hair. She was right, the movie was even more enjoyable in the warm atmosphere of being cuddled. He’d have to do this with her more often. Bucky enjoyed being the big spoon but wouldn’t necessarily mind switching places with her every now and them. They watched another musical, in the same position, before turning off the TV so they could just talk. Bucky played with her fingers as they did. 

“Steve and I were talking this morning while you were out and we want to have a serious conversation when he gets back. We know it’s all new to you, dating two people, and we want you to be comfortable. Establish ground rules with us.”

“Ground rules?”

“How you want us to date you. If you want to always go on dates together, have sex only separate, maybe who you go to more for certain things. Things like that, you know. We both do really want you but you don’t have to do all of it just because we like it. We’re not just dating you, you’re dating us.” 

“I never thought about that stuff, all the logistics.”

“Well we got you, darlin’… you not a fan of that name?” Bucky asked when he noticed her nose scrunch up. 

“I rather be your pretty doll.”

Bucky pulled her into his lap. He pressed his thumb to Minnie's bottom lip, running it along before kissing her. She gasped at the action and he took the chance to slip his tongue past her mouth. Bucky smiled when she whined as he pulled away. 

“What about angel? Stevie called you that the other day, you like that one don’t you. Hmm, angel?” 

Minnie buried her face in the crook of his neck and he knew the nickname was a keeper. His fingers tapped out random patterns against her back until she moved her head. She wasn't looking at him, just turning her head so her lips were no longer brushing his neck. 

“I like it.” Minnie's voice came out barely above a whisper. 

“Yeah, angel?” He asked as she finally looked at him. 

“I like it when you guys compliment me, tell me that I’m doing a good job.”

“We noticed… your stomach has impeccable timing at interrupting my moments,” Bucky laughed as her stomach grumbled. 

Minnie looked around and realized that she never brought the smoothie with her. Bucky already knew what she was looking for and informed her that Steve had put it in the fridge because they figured she'd come back. Minnie went to get off of him when she saw the clock on the nightstand and sat back down with a pout. 

“What’s wrong?” Bucky asked, confused by the sudden change in demeanor.

“It’s almost 10:30.”

“Hmm?”

“I can’t eat this late, Buck, it’s past ten. I should’ve gotten it during the movie.” 

“Would it be so bad if you ate this late, Minnie?”

She shook her head. “It’s too late. No eating past ten until after our morning run. Do you think it’ll still be good in the morning? I really wanted it.”

“I’m sure it’ll be alright,” Bucky said tightly. 

He wasn’t going to ask anymore. She still seemed fine considering she wanted the smoothie but Bucky didn’t like it. He didn’t like the notion that Minnie drank half a smoothie and instead of getting more because she was hungry, she stopped due to time constraints he didn’t understand. But he wouldn’t say anything or push it because he was sure that he’d trigger her again and that was the absolute last thing he wanted. 

Minnie got off of him to shower and change and then crawled into bed, going back to being the little spoon. Their bed was so big and she already knew that she would probably end up spending more nights in it than away. Minnie sighed in content as she felt her body warm up against Bucky’s. 

“Buck?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah, pretty doll?”

“I don’t know cause I’ve never done it before but I want you both at least for the first time… after our date.” 

Bucky kissed her shoulder blade before they both closed their eyes. 

Minnie had to go back to training, the only reprieve was that Steve was still on his mission and wasn’t coming back until the weekend. Bucky asked Sam to take his spot since Nat was filling in for Steve. And next week wasn’t their week anyway so it would be two lengths of training without having Steve or Bucky as mentors. She thought that the other recruits would drop it if some of the source material for her teasing was gone. Clark, Courtney, and Morgan naturally came up to ask if she was okay. 

She assured them she was fine after having time away. No one mentioned anything about the rankings the whole time they trained and Minnie assumed that maybe she was in the clear. She knew they hadn’t forgotten but hoped they thought it was all jokes and no one saw the truth in it. It wouldn’t cost Steve or Bucky anything but until she were officially a full-fledged S.H.I.E.L.D. employee they thought it was best if only the team knew. Otherwise Minnie might get dirty looks and sneers, not to mention the murmurs of favoritism, and not just from the team of recruits she trained with. So training ended pretty pleasant and they all went to the locker room. 

The locker room was one large space that had showers on either side separated by gender and then a huge common space in the middle where all the lockers were. The training room was quiet but the locker room was where everyone chose to voice their opinion starting with Minnie's archnemesis of a teammate, Ryan. 

“We missed you these last classes. Or does number one not have to go to training anymore?”

“I had personal business, I called it in to HR just like everyone else.”

Morgan pulled her jacket out of her locker to throw on before sitting back down on the bench where Minnie, Clark, and Courtney were sitting as they tied their shoes and threw practice clothes into duffle bags. 

“We should have a wine night or something. My place.”

“Sounds good, just tell us when. Maybe this weekend?” Clark suggested. 

“When? Because I have plans I think…” 

Minnie's phone started ringing and after seeing the flash of a name, she quickly scooped it up before anyone could see it forgetting that she was mid-conversation. None of the recruits expected the animated voice that Minnie talked with and tried to figure out who was on the other end of the line that had her that way. 

“You’re back?” she asked excitedly. 

“Finished the mission early. Was thinking about moving up our date. Is that good with you, angel?” Steve laughed when she got quiet. “I can see you swooning through the phone.” 

“I’m not… say it again,” Minnie demanded gently as she closed the locker and grabbed her stuff. 

Minnie muted the phone for a minute and turned to Morgan. “I can do this weekend. I’ll see you guys later.”

The other recruits watched in a sort of stunned silence as she practically bounced out of the locker room. 

“Angel, do you mind if we move our first date from this weekend to tonight?”

“I don’t mind. Where are we going? Should I dr—” 

Minnie hung up the phone as the elevator doors opened. There were S.H.I.E.L.D. members packed in but that’s not what she was focused on. Steve, who just pretended to say goodbye to someone different on the phone, was also standing in the elevator. Minnie mumbled hellos to everyone as the elevator slowly emptied as it stopped on each floor until it was just her and Steve. He barely let the elevator doors close after the last person got off before pulling her into him. He was still in uniform, shield and all, so she knew when he said he just got back it was literally a few moments ago. 

“Steve, the glass.”

The elevator was approaching the clear section that Tony had thrown in just for the effect of it. Steve looked behind him and then moved Minnie in front of the doors, concealing her face from the glass area. If anyone were to look in they would definitely see Cap making out with someone but wouldn’t be able to see who as she was hidden by his height and the giant shield on his back. 

“Ain’t that a welcome home,” he said after pulling away before pressing a softer kiss to her lips. 

“Bucky said you wanted to talk when you got home.” Minnie ran her fingers up and down his arms. 

Steve nodded. “Let me get out of this suit and we’ll talk. Your room.”

“Mine?”

“We’re on your terms, it should be in a space you control.”

It wasn’t long after Steve peeled off the suit that he and Bucky headed to Minnie's floor. They knocked, feeling like the formality was important now, and she opened it a bit gingerly. 

“It’s a bit of a mess, Nat and Wanda were here the other day and I haven’t cleaned up yet.” 

The room wasn’t too bad but they could see the tiny trash bag that needed to be taken out and the pile of cotton balls with nail polish on them sitting on her desk. Minnie sat down first against the bed headboard, not having a couch in her room like the others. Steve and Bucky only sat down when prompted. The longer Minnie had to think about what she was going to say, the more nervous she got which was a first when it came to the two of them. Even the first time she met them with the rest of the recruits, they never made Minnie very nervous. 

“I want you both to be my boyfriends equally. I’d like formal dates with all three of us more often than just one of you but I also know it’s important we have alone time. So maybe two together dates for every alone date?”

They both nodded to show they were listening but didn’t want to speak too much in case that influenced her decision. She went over a couple more things with them including the fact that Minnie was okay with them going on dates just the two of them and doing stuff without her. It was just Minnie personally would probably not go out with only one of them as often as they might go out with each other. 

“Anything else, angel?”

Minnie felt her face heat up at the thought of her final point. Both men noticed how she suddenly didn’t meet their eyes. 

“I told Bucky already but I’ve never slept with two people before. I don’t know if I’ll like it until it happens but I want to try it… all of it.” 

“When we say all?” Bucky asked. 

“You know what I mean.”

Now it was Steve’s turn to be the touchy one as he moved to sit cross-legged on the bed and pulled Minnie to him. His breath was hot on her ear. 

“Use your words, pretty doll.” 

“I want you both… after our date.” 

Steve turned to look at Bucky who was watching her with lust-blown eyes. He grabbed Minnie's chin and kissed her, pulling her halfway out of Steve’s lap as he did. 

“Gonna treat you so well, angel.”

Every part of her body felt like it was on fire at his words. Getting through date night felt impossibly long with the thought of his words creeping up every now and then. The minuscule movements and bouts of restlessness weren’t lost on the super soldiers. They were barely into their room when the door closed with a slam and they were all over her. 

Steve’s lips stayed on hers as he directed them both to the bed. Minnie felt like she was given merely seconds to breathe as Bucky came over and kissed her as well. It went like that for longer than she thought it could, the two of them switching her back and forth between their lips before they stopped to kiss each other while she caught her breath. 

“You look so pretty like that,” Steve commented on her slightly swollen lips. “And we haven’t even really started. Are you sure you can handle it?”

He was taunting and based on the way she stiffened up at the thoughts they knew she liked it. Bucky leaned in close again. 

“Well, little doll? Think you take both of us?” 

Minnie nodded maybe a little too enthusiastically and they both exchanged looks. Minnie pouted which only made the two of them enjoy it so much more. They were communicating silently with each other as they took off their shirts and Minnie was getting restless. Their heads turned so quickly when she grabbed both of their hands and directed them between her legs. 

She shuddered as they ran their hands up her thighs wanting to be out of her pants. While they brushed her thighs, Minnie rid herself of her shirt. They elicited a gasp from Minnie as they touched her, Bucky silencing the tail end with a kiss as she stood up to have her jeans removed.

“Wait.”

They both stopped, holding her very gently. Minnie looked down at Steve who had moved her from his jeans towards his mouth. 

“No one’s ever… I’ve never had a guy eat me out.”

“What? You mean to tell me no guy has ever wanted to go down on you before.” Steve clicked his tongue in disapproval at her past lovers. 

“I don’t… I normally don’t let them,” Minnie admitted. 

Steve sat up, thinking this wasn’t a conversation that needed to happen with Minnie hovering over his mouth. Her fingers drummed on his shoulders and she wouldn’t look at either one of them, fearing she ruined the moment. Bucky’s hand grabbed one of hers as Steve rubbed circles on her lower back but Minnie still wouldn’t remove her focus from a random spot on their bed. 

“I can’t return the favor. I want to, I’m just worried…” she faltered before taking a deep breath. “Blowjobs aren’t the easiest when you, um, make yourself throw up.” 

They paused. Neither of them had really thought about that before. Steve moved a hand under Minnie's chin to try and get her to look at him. It was a gentle gesture overall but he put his strength behind it so she was more or less forced to meet his eyes. 

“You don’t have to return anything.”

“But I feel bad, you won’t—”

“Can I touch you?” 

His sudden question threw Minnie off as she blinked repeatedly. 

“Of course. I want you to, both of you.” 

“So you’re allowing us to touch you in any way we want and the only thing I can’t get is a measly blowjob. I don’t know, sounds like you’re spoiling us,” he said before giving her a kiss. “So can we try it, angel, let me be the first to taste you?” 

Minnie nodded meekly as Steve leaned her back against Bucky’s chest. Bucky tilted her head back so he could go back to kissing her before nipping the bottom of her earlobe. He finally let up and the bed became lighter as they got down to take off their jeans fully. They looked over with amused smiles after hearing Minnie's little gasp of surprise. 

“We may or may not have been talking about you guys in the locker room when we first started… you’re both bigger than I thought.”

“You flatter us, angel.” 

Bucky crawled over her body forcing her to lay down. His hands traced up and down her body. 

“Steve and I always use a condom with each other if you want to do that.”

“Unh-unh. I’m on birth control, want to feel both of you.”

“Stevie’s right, you’re spoiling us. How do you want us, pretty doll, who’s first?” 

“I, um, I’ve been…”

“Yes?”

Minnie felt the bed dip with the added weight of Steve as he sat down. His hand was on her thigh, squeezing gently as encouragement for her to keep going. 

“When I said I wanted you both, I’ve been prep… same time. I want you both at the same time,” she answered making both of them moan.

After they finished Minnie didn’t move, not even turning her head when she heard water running. Suddenly she felt a hand on her thigh. 

“No,” Minnie whined. She didn’t hear what Bucky said. 

“No. No more, please.”

Bucky chuckled as Minnie's hand passively covered herself and tried to push him away.

“Let me clean you up, pretty doll. Then we’ll take you to the bath Stevie drew.” 

She let him run the washcloth over her, slightly wincing at the material of the towel despite all of Bucky’s attempts to be gentle. He carried her into the bathroom before leaving to change the bedsheets while Steve bathed her. Both men left Minnie to relax as they washed off in the adjacent shower. She was left someone’s shirt and loose pair of briefs as sleep shorts before they exited the bathroom completely. They cuddled and talked, occasionally focusing their ears to listen in and make sure Minnie was fine, while waiting for her. 

When the water got cold, Minnie finally hopped out. Both of them looked over as she walked into the bedroom with a funny gait and a bit slower than usual. She held out a hand to stop them when they moved to get off the bed and pick her up. She finally settled in between them. Bucky handed her a bonnet. Both men watched Minnie slip it on and then lay back with her eyes closed, waiting for her to say something about what just happened. 

“I liked it, but I can’t take you both every single time. So much,” Minnie said with a yawn. 

They each kissed her cheek and agreed with her, understanding a threesome every time was probably a lot for her. She turned to be on her stomach and they settled around her. Minnie talked to them about training until she fell asleep. The next morning left Minnie still sore and she was thankful that training was going to be held at the shooting range. 

“You two did a number on her,” Nat said with a smirk as Minnie came into the dining area. 

The rest of the Avengers looked at her with varied expressions as she was still walking slow and funny towards the cabinet. Whereas the other night Steve and Bucky were ready to jump up and help Minnie, today they looked at her from the table with satisfied smiles as Thor and Sam clapped them on the back. Minnie pouted as she looked up in the cabinet and turned to face them. 

“Someone moved the cereal… you owe me after last night,” she said as she pointed to the shelf too high for her to reach. 

Bucky was up to get it down for her, taking the opportunity to squeeze her butt as he did. Minnie mumbled a thank you and poured her breakfast. The table was full of animated talking. That was something Minnie enjoyed when it came to the team, the way they talked so excitedly in the mornings over breakfast. Steve gently nudged her with his foot when he noticed she had stopped the spoon halfway to her mouth. Involuntarily, Minnie had suddenly felt a little sick after the last spoonful. 

She shook her head and gave Steve a small smile waiting for the feeling to subside so she could go back to eating. Minnie tried not to think about it, but feared that the good spell of feeling positive about herself was coming to an end. She sat at the table way after she finished just to make sure she wouldn’t find herself in the bathroom before changing and heading down to the shooting range.


	4. Chapter 4

Morgan’s apartment was nice. She lived alone in a one-bedroom, not too cramped. Her personal style of sophistication was clear to see as not a thing seemed out of place and looked like it had purpose occupying the space. Training ended up having a practice mission over the weekend so it wasn’t until the next week they could have wine night, but Morgan was determined to have her friends all over. 

Minnie had given in and accepted the wine— wine being the only alcohol she would consume in her moments of clarity. Beer and others still felt like they would give her a beer belly overnight. Morgan was very liberal with what she considered a small glass. It was clear her intentions were to get everyone drunk, not that Minnie minded since it was just the four of them. If any other recruits were there she wouldn’t dare risk loose lips or doing something embarrassing but these guys weren’t just potential teammates but, dare she say, actual work friends. 

“Are they really different from training when they’re all relaxed at home?” Clark asked the woman.

They were intrigued with Minnie and the Avengers’ domestic life. While she wasn't going to invade the others’ privacy too much, like saying Nat owned several pink items of clothing or Tony and Bruce had matching Science Bros boxers, Minnie did share funny moments and innocent stories. She almost choked on her wine at Courtney’s next question. 

“Who’s the better kisser, Minnie? Cap or Sarge?” 

“W-what makes you think I would know?” She stuttered through the question.

“Wait, you’ve kissed them?” Clark asked, this information being new to him and Morgan.

“She’s dating them,” Courtney said like it was fact and Minnie wanted to know how the hell she knew anything.

“I’m not da—”

“My cousin’s Madeline Washington, told me you were beaming about it at the reunion. She just had to ask if it was true, not that she didn’t believe you but you know. And she knew I was with S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Minnie sat back, knowing there was no getting around it now. She didn’t think about any of her classmates being related to other recruits. At least it was Courtney who found out, Minnie was sure she would’ve died if it was Ryan or Lisa. Courtney put a hand on her knee.

“Don’t worry, stays between us. No way we’re giving those dicks more ammunition.”

Morgan and Clark agreed with her and then leaned forward expectantly, wanting her to answer Courtney’s original question.

“It’s too different to compare. Buck’s a little more demanding, leaves me breathless every time. Stevie’s gentle usually. But he does this thing where he pulls my bottom lip between his teeth and I don’t know where he learned that but woo, chile,” Minnie giggled, alcohol already going to her head. 

The night continued with the alcohol, lots of gossiping about significant others, and mock fighting as they tried not to be too loud and disturb Morgan’s neighbors when they pinned each other to the floor. Minnie was thankful it was supposed to be a sophisticated wine night— even if it didn’t end up that way— because Morgan only had charcuterie boards for food and she felt fine eating the bits of meat, fruit, and crackers. Her phone started ringing and Clark was the one who brought it to their attention because he was practically screaming as he held it up. Bucky’s name and picture was up on the screen. 

“Answer it on speaker!” He threw the phone to Minnie. She shook her head but did as he said, the others trying to be quiet as she did. 

“Angel?” 

Courtney pretended to faint at the pet name.

“Yes?” 

“You want to elaborate on that video you just sent us?” 

She had already forgotten about Morgan saying they should send sexy videos to their partners. In a tipsy haze, naturally, the other three agreed and helped each other make them. Minnie was in charge of Clark’s, making him look as buff and attractive as possible with the perfect lower angle as he danced to Courtney’s playlist of songs to start the mood. Courtney had way too much fun with a can of whipped cream per Morgan’s suggestion. Morgan was suddenly an expert at dancing on a table top, they almost ruined her video when the camera was almost dropped as she started stripping and they saw her in a lace number that was so different from the plain sports bra and boy shorts during training. 

Courtney, who was in charge of Minnie's video, was over the moon that she was wearing fancy underwear as well as she suggested— demanded— Minnie strip and pose on Morgan’s armchair. The woman suggestively ate a popsicle and sent it off to Steve and Bucky without much more thought, putting the clothes on and going back to talking. 

“What video?” Minnie asked in the most innocent voice.

“Oh you’ve got jokes now? She thinks this is funny, Stevie.” 

Her and her friends’ eyes went wide, not expecting Steve to be there too. Morgan had to grab a pillow to keep herself from running around the room. The line seemed to go dead and Minnie was about to say something when Bucky’s voice came back sounding two tones darker than normal. 

“Remember last week, angel?” 

She bit her lip at the thought of the first time with both of them just last week. Muting the phone, she quickly confirmed what her friends were thinking. 

“What about it?” There was an air of defiance with her tone. 

“Thought we said you were such a good girl for us. That video’s far from being a good girl and while we’re on a mission.” 

Courtney hit Minnie in the arm and muted the call. “Call him, Sarge. See what it does. Do it, do it.”

Everyone needed a second to squeal it out before they unmuted the phone.

“And what are you going to do about it, Sarge?”

They were giddy with the sharp intake of breath that came from Bucky. This time it was Steve that answered. 

“What do we normally do when you guys act up, Minnie?” Steve was using his captain’s voice. “I expect an answer, recruit?”

“Punishment,” she answered. 

“What do you think it should be for that little stunt?” 

The others were encouraging Minnie to do the same thing she did to Bucky to Steve. It was sort of a rush having her friends there as they all pooled ideas to try and work up her boyfriends as much as possible. Minnie had to admit she was also curious about where and how far exactly the two of them would go.

“Whatever you think I deserve, Captain,” she whispered into the phone. 

He had the same sharp intake of breath that Bucky did. She would’ve been satisfied by both of their reactions alone, thinking they might not keep going. The four of them listened intently to the phone as Steve talked to Bucky, purposely loud enough that Minnie could hear but also acting as if she wasn't even there. Morgan poured everyone another glass, technically only the second but again her liberal glasses made it hard to judge how much it actually was. Courtney and Clark were pretending to fan themselves as they heard Steve and Bucky talking about what they might do— hearing their mentors talk like this was such a foreign sound. Her friends’ attention turned from the phone and to Minnie with Bucky’s next words. 

“Weren’t you struggling so hard to take us, angel? What do I remember you saying, felt like you were being split in half?”

Morgan looked away, tipping her glass to her face, feeling like she was going to blush hearing words not directed towards her. 

“How do you think a punishment will feel? You really want that?” 

There was a softness in his voice. He and Steve were giving her an out from the more rough side of their sex life. Secretly they hoped this wasn’t just for show and she wanted it like them, or was at least willing to try it. 

“I can handle it,” she assured them and even though she couldn’t see it, they both had dark smiles on their face. 

“What happened to the formality and respect?”

“I can handle it, Sarge.”

“Oh don’t get shy now. You started it with that video and those pictures. Can you give us a word, Minnie? Sarge needs a word before we hang up the phone with you.”

She couldn’t believe she was doing this in the presence of her friends but they just kept grinning and encouraging the debauchery right in front of them. Minnie looked at them for help in coming up with something. Morgan, who did this with her partner, informed the other woman it should be something they are never likely to say during sex but also memorable so they don’t forget. 

“Angel?” Bucky asked after the long bout of silence. 

“I’m thinking, Sarge. Gemstones.”

“You really love your eyes, don’t you, doll.”

“Hard not to when Captain says they’re an abyss, you two always gettin’ lost in ‘em.”

“You’re getting a little bratty, angel. Watch yourself. Gemstones, that’s our word.” 

“When we get back from our mission, be prepared, angel. Couldn’t walk the next day, how long you think it’ll take you this time to stop walking funny. Our pretty doll’s gonna be a little broken doll.” Steve dropped his voice even more. 

Minnie gasped and shoved her face into a pillow while the others’ jaws dropped in silence. Steve and Bucky chuckled. 

“You liked that, didn’t you?” Bucky asked. 

She nodded and then realized they couldn’t see her. “Yes, Sarge. Yes, Captain.”

“There’s a good girl,” Steve’s voice returned to normal. “We’ve got to go, see you when we’re done. Okay, pretty doll? Love you, bye.”

“See you soon, angel. I love you,” Bucky added. 

“Bye, Stevie, Buck. Love you both.” 

The minute the phone cut off, Minnie found herself at the bottom of a dogpile as the other three jumped on top of her. They were making all sorts of noises, some indiscernible. Only when she complained about being able to breathe did they get off. 

“Who knew Cap had such a dirty mouth?” Morgan exclaimed. 

Clark nodded, almost dropping his glass. “Expected that from Sarge but… you get both of them, how do you handle it?”

“You heard Sarge, she doesn’t,” Courtney laughed. She laughed even as Minnie hit her in the arm with the pillow. 

It was a pleasant surprise when Sam knocked on the door to Morgan’s apartment. Between the video, phone call, and the giggles that they could clearly hear because Minnie seemed to forget they were enhanced, Steve and Bucky had called Sam and asked if he would take her back to the compound instead of her driving. So he had Happy drop him off and would just drive Minnie's car back. She practically pulled Sam into the apartment.

He could tell why they had asked. Minnie and the others were giggling like crazy over the stupidest shit and there seemed to be no end in sight. While he refused the wine since he was the designated driver, Sam did eat off the charcuterie board. It was nice seeing Minnie with recruits from her department that she actually got along with. Sure she had the team and other people in S.H.I.E.L.D., for instance in the IT Department, but it was important to have colleagues in her division that she could get along with. Especially because even though the Avengers were a special team, sometimes they went on missions with field agents. 

* * *

Steve was two steps into the room when he saw Minnie sprawled across their bed, taking full advantage of the fact that neither of them were there. She knew they were coming back around a couple of tentative dates so since two days ago she had started sleeping in their bed, aside from the time she crashed in their room when Sam took her home. It had been about six days since the wine night. 

Since he was up as one of the trainers that week, despite having just come back from a mission, he stripped out of the suit and put on some gym clothes. He laid down on the bed next to Minnie, centimeters away from her face, seeing if she would wake. It was maybe only two seconds after he started staring that her eyes popped open. 

“Steve, you ruined my sleep. I had…” she reached over to check the time on the phone. “Forty minutes left, dick.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not.” 

He laughed because she was right. “Just missed you, angel.” 

Minnie wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep so she crawled onto him, laying down on his chest. Steve thought she looked adorable as she looked at him with sleepy eyes. Minnie scrunched her nose after he poked it. 

“Me and Buck’s mission got split up so he’s not coming back till the end of the week. I was thinking we could on a small date tonight, pretty doll. Live show and dinner… your face, Minnie.” Steve gently traced the area under her eye. 

“What?” 

He grabbed the phone and opened it for Minnie to see the area was littered in red freckles of broken capillaries. She looked in confusion and brought the phone closer to her face and then pulled it back as if that would change it. Steve noticed the way even she seemed surprised. 

“That wasn’t there yesterday, I don’t think.” 

“What did you do yesterday?”

“Ate breakfast with Sam, got my ass whooped in training cause Ryan’s a piece of shit, took lunch in the lab with Tony and Bruce. I went down to the simulation room, got my ass whooped again by bots. Team dinner… I ate the rest of you and Buck’s ice cream, not sorry about that.”

“You were fighting in training and then went to the simulation room?”

“Yesterday was not my day Stevie, glad Sharon was training us. I don’t think Nat would let me live down getting my head slammed against a mat multiple times. Took him down once with the thigh move though so little victory.” 

“This time I think you actually pushed yourself too far.”

“Hmm?” Minnie gave him a head tilt. 

“I know last time it was…” Steve hesitated to say anything. 

“Throwing up, bulimia. You can say it Steve, the word isn’t going to trigger me. Out of anything, it’s the medical term.” 

“Well, last time it was that. But you’ve been doing fine, remember Dr. Cho said it could happen from overexertion. Yesterday seems to count.”

“I’ve gotten my ass beat before, Stevie.”

“Just telling you what I think.” 

She sighed. “Okay… you’re not benching me today.” 

“Minnie.”

“We can’t just take breaks because we’re tired, bad guys don’t rest. Is there any blood in my eye?”

“No, just the capillaries underneath.”

“So I’m fine.”

“You were slammed into the floor by bots.”

“If I can flip you will you let me go to training, Stevie? I think that’s fair enough to show I’m not over worked.”

Steve thought it over and agreed. Minnie had only ever been able to flip him twice before and that was at peak fitness in the middle of the day on a good day. Right now it was early in the morning and she was tired. He felt that if Minnie could do it now then maybe she was right, she might’ve pushed herself too much yesterday but she would be fine for training. They both stood up, Minnie shivering as she left the warmth of the comforter. Steve had to refrain from teasing as her held up a hand to stop him because she had to yawn first. 

“Okay, I’m ready.” 

He came at her and Minnie grabbed his wrist with one hand and shoved the other one hard into his shoulder. There was a bit of struggle as she lifted him but his back was on the bedroom floor in no time. She stood over him, smiling, clearly proud of herself. 

“So, I’m off the bench. Right, Captain?” 

He stuck a hand out and when she went to help him, he pulled Minnie down making her laugh. 

“Just don’t work yourself too much. You can still get sick from pushing too hard.” 

“I’ll be careful, Stevie. Just don’t let anyone give me punishment today.” 

Steve leaned into her ear. “Oh no, pretty doll. Your punishment is waiting for when Sarge gets back.” 

Minnie shivered. Steve pecked her lips and then kissed her cheek. The two of them got off the floor, Steve mentioning she still had twenty-five minutes left before the alarm but Minnie had given up all hopes of going back to sleep. So the two of them decided to go downstairs for breakfast and look at the restaurants near the live show to pick where to go. 

He didn’t make it obvious but Steve was watching Minnie intently as she scrolled through the phone while eating the omelette and toast he fixed. She absentmindedly nodded after a particularly good bite and then held the phone out for Steve, who had ducked his head down before she had a chance to cast her eyes up. 

“This place looks nice. It’s supposed to be traditional and authentic Italian, the pictures of the pasta look good.” 

Steve relaxed. Minnie had eaten almost all of the breakfast he made and suggested a place with hearty food. And he made note of what she had said she ate yesterday, lots of his and Buck’s video calls with Minnie were over meals. 

“Doesn’t look bad, doll. You think we’ll need reservations?”

“Nah, seems mom and pop. I bet their kids made the website for them but I don’t think it’s a place with a long waiting list.”

“Then it’s a date. Buck said you busted out a real pretty dress last time.”

“Would you like me to put on a fancy dress for you as well?” she asked with a bit of sass but entirely good natured. 

“Please?”

Minnie smiled and gave him a peck on the lips. “One pretty, rose number coming up.” 

The two finished breakfast and Steve left to prep the training room while Minnie put on gym clothes. She took Steve’s plate along with her and threw away the little bit left over. When she heard the elevator doors close, Minnie hung her head over the sink and aggressively shoved two fingers down her throat until she gagged. Looking at the mess in the sink as the water washed it down the drain, Minnie kicked the bottom cabinet in anger. She had been doing so well. And now she had to go around hiding and ending video calls early with Bucky and Steve so she could throw up the little they saw her eat and throw the rest away when no one else was watching. She gripped the edge of the counter to refrain from doing it again when she thought of how upset they’d be if they found out. Pulling herself together, Minnie got ready so she could go downstairs and start working out with everybody else. It was going to be a long day, the first half starting in the training room and then moving to counterintelligence training before being done. 

Minnie elbowed Courtney and Morgan as they, along with Clark, were trying their hardest to not laugh as Steve entered the room again and they all stood in a line. She saw the slight smile on his face before he became stoic and realized he and Bucky knew exactly what had happened and that her friends knew. She was just trying to figure out did she reveal it or did Sam? Considering Sam was more Minnie's ride or die than he was theirs, she assumed her silly drunkenness exposed herself. 

Today was technically a free day on the training schedule, so Steve figured he would prep all the stations and let the recruits decide what they wanted to do or even if they wanted to stay in the gym. He was getting suggestions from everyone, including the mock HYDRA base at the very back of the compound which sounded pretty enjoyable. The mock base was new, S.H.I.E.L.D. had finished it only last weekend. The thought was the floorplan could be rearranged to mimic a different building layout every single time and the trainer could type in whatever setting for the bots, constantly changing the simulation. 

“How about you, Minnie?”

“Hmm?” she asked, clearly not paying attention since she was still trying to shush her friends. 

The rest of the class naturally gave looks and were readying themselves in case Steve asked one of them what the punishment should be. Steve was internally smirking, not thinking the opportunity to fluster Minnie was going to happen so quickly. 

“I asked if you had another suggestion otherwise we’re going to the mock base.”

She paused to think if there was anything else aside from the base that might be enjoyable for a relaxing training day just like Steve hoped her would. 

“I expect an answer, recruit.” 

Morgan had to turn her head into Courtney’s shoulder as she tried not to laugh. Courtney and Clark were biting the inside of their cheeks as hard as possible to not make a noise. Minnie went wide-eyed and started to stutter. Should Steve probably let it go? Maybe, but he wasn’t going to as she stumbled through the beginning of an answer. He moved to stand in front of her. It took all his willpower to keep his hands clasped behind his back instead of taking one to lift Minnie's chin up so she would meet his gaze since when she looked straight ahead like everyone else it wasn’t eye level. 

“Do you need to stay behind recruit while the rest of your team gets started until you can give us a proper answer… everyone clear out and meet Agent Wilson at the mock base to get started. Seems one recruit would rather have a lesson today.”

The others cleared out, Minnie watched them all start to file out while Steve’s eyes never left her. Her friends filed out last. They gave her thumbs up and wagged eyebrows behind Steve’s back as they walked out. 

“You think he’ll make her run at his speed?” Minnie heard someone ask. 

“Hope he has her do his workout.”

“That’s too brutal, he trains like a MAC truck, she might actually die.”

“Well then, I hope he at least keeps her the whole class.” 

That was the last comment they heard before the heavy doors slammed shut. Steve finally moved as his hands found her waist. His kiss started off sweet before the signature dragging of her lip between his teeth. Hands that were fisted in his shirt moved to wrap around the back of his neck in attempts to bring Steve closer to Minnie's height, tired of having to stretch up to meet him. Steve laughed against her lips. 

“Jump,” he mumbled. 

She tensed up, Steve thinking it was from the command. 

“Steve, I’m t—” Minnie started to panic before changing the answer. “If someone comes in.”

“Promise they won’t, doll.”

She gasped when he didn’t command again but just lifted her up. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his center. Steve’s lips pressed to Minnie's neck, not enough to leave a hickey but enough that she felt him, as he walked towards the door. Her back hit it and Steve began to grind on her. 

Between the door and his left hand, Steve easily had her pinned so he moved his right one to rub circles over her cloth-covered sex. Minnie bit her lip to stifle a moan. Steve removed his lips from her neck to watch. Her eyes snapped open and her head dropped to look at Steve when his movements suddenly stopped. 

“Wha— what, I was…”

“Sarge’s idea for the first part of your punishment. You didn’t think you’d get to finish without both of us here. Did you, angel?” 

“But, that’s— but—”

“Safeword?” Steve asked. 

Minnie shook her head. Steve stepped back and lowered her to the ground, opening the door so they could walk out and head to the mock base.

“Then take your punishment, doll. Maybe if you’re good, I’ll be able to convince Sarge to let you get off right away when he gets home.”

“Aren’t you Captain? Why do we have to ask, Sarge?” 

The hallway was empty but she was aware it was still a risk if someone came around the corner as Minnie put her hands on Steve’s chest. She reached up to try and kiss him, hoping she could convince him to agree and shove her back into the training room to finish getting her off. Minnie thought it might have worked as Steve started to lean down. He grabbed her arms from his chest and held them away from him. 

“You just made your punishment worse.” 

“Wait, no,” she whimpered. 

“Training. Let’s go, your team’ll probably halfway through the first simulation by the time we get down there,” Steve said. 

Minnie looked at him with a dropped jaw that he met with a sickly sweet smile that he usually gave at Tony’s parties to people that came up to him. Minnie closed her mouth and stomped off. 

“You’re being a brat, angel.” 

“Don’t care. You and Sarge are mean.” 

He laughed and followed her to the mock base. Minnie wouldn’t look at him the whole time except once when only Sam was watching to poke her tongue out at him before running into the base with everyone else. Sam laughed, even though he sided with her on principle alone, when he heard why Minnie was suddenly giving Steve a cold shoulder. 

Of course she wasn't actually mad or very annoyed with Steve. That was confirmed when Minnie finally shot him a smile as they all left the mock base for lunch. And then again when he winked at her across the cafeteria and she subtly blew him a kiss, Clark who sat right in front of Minnie pretending it was for him to help throw anyone off.

Minnie mainly pushed around the salad, taking a bite every now and then because she knew Steve might be watching. It was easy to pretend that she just hadn’t noticed she didn’t eat that much when Minnie was talking with Courtney, Morgan, and Clark because people would just assume she was too engaged in conversation to remember to eat at the same time. They left to go to counterintelligence. Studying up on mental exercises was just as important as working out. There was no point in being a good field agent when it came to fighting if one had no smarts. 

Like expected, classes ended with just enough time for Minnie and Steve to get ready before having to head downtown for the show. The same way she thought it was cute if she and Bucky got dressed separately, Minnie made Steve do the same. He didn’t really see how it made a difference but she insisted it added some specialness back into it since they lived together, so he went along with it and got dressed in his room while Minnie went to hers. 

The rose dress was a short number— not bodycon, somewhat frilly— that she had worn a few times but never on a date. Because of the zipper that allowed her to put it on from the bottom, Minnie decided to do hair and makeup first. The foundation easily covered up the broken capillaries and Minnie was back to looking like before. She spritzed her favorite perfume and gave her head a once over to make sure everything was set before grabbing the dress. 

Minnie's breath caught in her throat as she pulled on the zipper. It wouldn’t go up. She pulled it down and tugged it up her side again but it got stuck again, a little higher than before. Her breathing got shallow as she muttered no and tried again, feeling tears threaten to spill from her eyes. 

Steve was in the elevator headed to Minnie's floor to knock on the door and pick her up. He was a little more dressed up being in a suit but not fully formal like a tux would be. Steve heard the retching as he got close to the door and barged in without even bothering a knock. He reached the bathroom to see Minnie hunched over the toilet, dress halfway zipped. 

“Minnie?” he asked hesitantly and watched as her whole body freeze up. 

“No” she said barely above a whisper, not moving from her spot. 

He watched Minnie snake a hand up to flush the toilet. Stepping from the doorway, Steve walked further in and Minnie closed her eyes as the footsteps grew nearer. His touch felt burning hot on her shoulder and she shoved him off. 

“Don’t touch me!” 

She sunk back away from the toilet, staring at her dress. Steve stared at the hand that Minnie still had dangling over the toilet, two fingers covered in evidence. It was the first time he had ever seen her do anything. Minnie let the tears flow now, streaks of black from mascara and eyeliner already starting to run down her face. 

“I fucked up.” Her clean hand picked at a piece of lint on the dress.

“I fucked up. Sam picked me up and we stopped at a diner so I wouldn’t be hungover. Then I felt like shit because it was past 10:30 when I ate, way past. And then you and Buck called and it was before run time but I ate breakfast early anyway and I’m not supposed to do that.”

“Doll, those rules are arbitrary.”

“No, no. They’re there so I don’t get fat and look what happens when I don’t follow them. I ate you and Buck’s ice cream for dinner and other things and none of it was good.”

“Is that what you consider bingeing?” 

She nodded as she slowly got up to wash her hands and brush her teeth, still having not looked at Steve the whole time. 

“We watched you eat over video, those were all normal size maybe even a little sm—”

“Too big. They were too big and I broke the rules and now I can’t fit in the dress,” Minnie said with a mouthful of toothpaste. 

She was growing irritated that Steve wouldn’t drop it. Minnie wanted him to leave so she could just fall asleep and act like he didn’t witness any of it in the morning, she was probably going to sleep in her own room that night. Steve stood up from where he had bent down to initially check on her and walked over to where Minnie was staring at herself in the mirror. She was silent as his hands slowly placed themselves on her but Minnie didn’t shake him off this time. 

“This dress?” 

He pulled the zipper up all the way and closed the little clasp at the top. Minnie looked down at it, shaking her head in disbelief. Steve’s hands left her. The zipper hadn’t been hard for him to close at all, considering the dress still had room once it was all the way on her. 

“But it didn’t… I saw it wouldn’t zip.” 

“The zipper must’ve hit a snag,” Steve said. 

What he wouldn’t tell Minnie was that it zipped with no problems. There were no snags or loose threads. She had convinced herself it didn’t fit. Whatever she saw blocked her from seeing reality and Minnie genuinely imagined it wasn’t closing. 

“The red freckles, you’ve been throwing up since our first call.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Yes.” 

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I thought you two would— I didn’t want you guys mad at me. I said I would get better.”

“We would never be mad about it. It’s a real problem you’re going through, us yelling isn’t going to help you with anything… we asked you to let us help you. You have to mention a relapse for us to do that. We’ll never yell, no judgement.” 

“Okay,” she mumbled. 

“Will you take a walk with me?” 

Minnie took Steve’s arm, not noticing him grab the makeup bag on her counter. She looked in confusion when the walk was to their room, more specifically the bathroom. Steve asked if he could lift her up and she let him sit her on the counter. He pulled out the makeup wipes, ridding her face of the black streaks down her cheeks and the smudged lipstick around the mouth. 

“Your hair’s perfect, you really pulled out all the stops with it. I think a lip color closer to your lips would really emphasize it.” 

Steve rummaged through the bag until he found a pink slightly darker than the tone of her bottom lip. Applying it gently, he stepped back and admired his work. His hands danced up the sides of the dress again, playing with the zipper before gently pulling it down. 

“I think maybe we should have our date at home. What if I drew you, is that a good date idea? Will you let me draw you, pretty doll? Capture how you are. That seems like a fun date night?”

“I’d like that.”

Minnie followed Steve to the couch in his and Bucky's room. The dress fell off of her and he carefully peeled off her underwear, wanting Minnie to trust him and not feel too vulnerable. She let him direct her in a pose as he set a soft, decorative pillow underneath her head. Steve grabbed one of Minnie's largest headscarves from the drawer of the nightstand on Bucky’s side. He draped it, rather artistically, over her. 

“FRIDAY, please play classical music.” 

Minnie watched Steve flutter about for all his art supplies as the first note of the piano played. He taped up a decent sized cut of paper. He began to draw, eyes with a new air of focus. Since he wasn’t working on her lips till the very end, Steve asked for Minnie to tell stories of her childhood. Things she remembered or whatever she used to enjoy. 

It wasn’t hard to draw her, he honestly probably could do it from memory. Steve was intentional to draw Minnie exactly as she was— not someone else’s idealized style but not in her warped perception either. He was sure to get every birthmark, mole, anything that made Minnie, her. 

They took a short break, Steve leaving to get Minnie a smoothie, knowing it was the one thing she would eat. He was good at being a quick sketch artist, able to capture details in a short time. So while this drawing was taking a long time because he wanted it as right as possible, Steve was able to finish it and color it. He grabbed various copic markers and walked to the couch. Minnie turned from the side pose she had been holding to lay flat on her back as Steve straddled her. He placed a scrap piece of paper on her stomach and began to play with the markers, blending the colors until the paper matched her skin. 

“There we go. Why don’t you take a shower and get ready for bed, angel? Let me finish up the drawing.” 

Steve blocked Minnie's view from the drawing as she walked into the bathroom. He got on the phone as he colored to let Bucky know what all had happened. She had voiced concern on wanting to tell him but not feeling like she could will herself to say something again. 

“Is she okay?”

“I think she’s fine now, Buck. But you never know.”

Minnie came back out and Steve told her to sit on the bed because he wasn’t quite done yet. The headscarf he draped over her for the portrait was the one Minnie used to tie her hair up. Steve finished up and informed Minnie he was going to shower, finally revealing the drawing to her. She traced it with her fingers, admiring the work. Minnie wiped at her eyes, not wanting tears to drop on his work. Steve came back and crawled into bed with her. 

“That’s what we all see… well, Bucky and I are the lucky ones to see the whole thing.” 

She chuckled, gently. “I want to frame it. It’s beautiful, thank you Steve.” 

“Of course, pretty doll.”

Minnie set down the drawing and tangled herself up with him. Steve petted her arm and traced gentle patterns on her skin. He pressed a kiss to Minnie's head. Steve watched her for a minute. 

“Angel?”

“Yes?”

“I’m happy for your existence. That you’re here with us.”


	5. Chapter 5

Minnie woke up to a smoothie, a takeout one instead of the usual homemade. Steve was sitting at the end of the bed, medium plastic cup in his hand. She went to grab the phone and he reached over to take it before she could. 

“Steve!”

“It’s 7:10 am, no we aren’t running this morning, yes this is your breakfast.”

“That looks l—”

“It’s a sixteen ounce smoothie full of stuff you like plus a scoop of yogurt. Breakfast. Please take it from my hand, doll, so I can go get my coffee,” he said the last part light-heartedly in hopes you would accept it. 

Minnie just looked at the cup in his hand. Steve took a sip and then held the cup back out. This time, she gingerly took it from his hand. He watched her take a sip and patted Minnie's knee before getting up to get himself food. He sat back down at the end of the bed when he returned so he would be facing her. His voice was more gentle this time. 

“First step, getting rid of those rules. We’ll eat when you’re hungry and I know you like breakfast. Don’t even try hiding it, Buck and I hear your stomach grumbling when we wake up.” 

Minnie took another sip while eyeing Steve’s plate. He had a full meal. Her head tilted and Steve mirrored her actions. He didn’t say anything, just waited until she stopped sipping on the smoothie. She scooted closer to him and grabbed the fork from his hand to feed him. 

“You and Bucky seem so happy eating, the whole team does… I want to be happy too.” 

Steve finished swallowing his bite as Minnie started to poke the fork into more food. He grabbed the smoothie cup she had abandoned and pressed it to her lips, Minnie absentmindedly took a sip as she loaded his fork with food. She stopped sipping for a moment to finish her thought. 

“All the time. I’m happy eating sometimes.”

“Yeah, I remember that little wiggle over tomato soup.”

Minnie laughed and Steve smiled as she did the little dance again after taking another sip of smoothie. 

“That’s a sound I like to hear.”

Minnie and Steve’s heads turned to the doorway where Bucky was standing, still in tactical gear. He walked into the room and pressed a kiss to Steve’s lips before doing the same to Minnie.

“You’re back,” she said, excitedly. 

Bucky told the field agents on his mission team that they could hurry up and finish the minute quickly or do it without him but either way he was coming home after Steve called. The forkful that was meant for Steve, Minnie instinctively put up to Bucky’s mouth. Even if he hadn’t watched the scene from the doorway, he knew to just accept the bite of breakfast while she watched him with doe eyes and sipped on the smoothie. 

Bucky took a quick shower and sat on the bed, his chest against Minnie's back. He already ate in the quinjet on the way back and was content with stealing sips of Steve’s coffee while Minnie and Steve finished breakfast. The two men were uniquely perceptive to her body cues, she watched Steve and felt Bucky tense up as Minnie gagged after the last sip of smoothie. She held a hand up to her mouth until the little bit of the bile that rose in the back of her throat died down. 

“I’m okay. It happens sometimes.” 

Neither one of them relaxed completely. Minnie tilted her head back so she could look at Bucky. 

“Why’d you come back? Steve said your mission…”

“He called me last night, had to come home. Why the face, angel?” 

“You left a mission early… because of me.”

“I left because I wanted to come home and take care of you. Not because you necessarily needed it but because I wanted to.” 

Minnie frowned but didn’t say anything. This wasn’t an argument she was going to win with Bucky and she knew it. The smoothie was finished and Minnie set the empty cup on the nightstand and grabbed Bucky’s hand, playing with the metal fingers. She raised his hand up and lightly pressed a kiss to his fingers before dropping them into her lap. Bucky could see the broken capillaries that Steve told him about. Steve finished breakfast, offering the last of the coffee to Bucky who gladly accepted it. 

“Meditation or reading?”

“What, Steve?”

“We can’t run right away, just ate. So what do you want to do, skip straight to Buck’s meditation or reading or what?”

Minnie thought for a minute and chose to skip to meditation until she had fully digested breakfast. Bucky went on the run even though he had just come from a mission. They were reluctant to let Minnie go to training until the capillaries were healed but she told them it was fine. She stopped them before they could step into the training room with a devilish look on her face. Bucky was caught off guard when Minnie stepped up to him, so close that she could feel his breath, right outside the training room where someone could see if they just opened the doors. 

“Sarge,” Minnie whined. “Captain said the punishment was your idea.” 

Both of the men chuckled. Minnie jutted out her bottom lip. Bucky bent down to kiss her and, taking a page out of Steve’s book, gently nipped at her lip. Minnie smiled as she felt herself being sandwiched between the two of them. Bucky brushed his fingers against her collarbones. He pulled away, keeping his lips still close to Minnie's. 

“You didn’t think that was going to get you out of it, angel, did you?” 

“Please.” 

“Should we cut her a break, Sarge?” Steve asked as his hands squeezed her hips. Minnie nodded furiously as they looked at each other over her head. 

“Do well at practice and I think we can look the other way after lunch.”

The three of them straightened themselves out and walked into the training room. Minnie's friends gave knowing looks while the rest of the group didn’t even bother to look her way. Training went smoothly and she had a sneaking suspicion that Steve and Bucky were going a little easier on her than normal although both of them would deny it if Minnie confronted them about it. Not that Minnie was complaining if it meant she was finally going to get off. She bounded out of the gym when practice was over instead of staying behind to help them pack everything up like normal— making both Steve and Bucky chuckle, knowing that Minnie was probably going to get herself ready. 

She was nowhere to be seen when they entered their room. Neither of them wanted to panic but they felt nervousness wash over them. Trying not to cause a scene, they walked briskly through the halls only stopping and sighing in relief as they heard Minnie's laughter. She looked over her shoulder as they entered the kitchen area and showed them a bowl of pasta with barely a dent in it. 

“Vision wanted someone to try his cooking for Wanda,” Minnie mumbled. 

Even though everyone knew, she still tried not to discuss it too much with the other members of the team. 

“How are you feeling, pretty doll?” Bucky asked, tentatively. 

She thought about it and decided to be honest with them. “Like I can’t eat dinner after this… I don’t think I can finish this.”

Steve took the bowl out of her hand and put the rest of the pasta into a tupperware container and set it in the fridge. Vision handed a bowl to Wanda who had just entered the kitchen. The other Avengers started to flow in as well. Some of them took the leftovers that Vision said they could have while others started looking for their own food. Bucky rubbed circles on the back of Minnie's hand. It all felt so overwhelming having everyone suddenly in and being surrounded by food. She hopped off of the barstool as the smell of oil heating up in Sam’s pan wafted over to her nose. 

“I just need a minute,” Minnie whispered as she left the room. 

Bucky and Steve looked at each other before nodding and following Minnie, staying a little bit behind. They found her laying down on the floor of their room with her gaze focused on the ceiling. They settled down beside her and mimicked her movements. It was silent for a minute as the three of them looked at the plain ceiling. 

“The bed was too soft for thinking,” she finally said. 

“What are we thinking about?” Steve asked. 

Minnie turned her head to look at him before going back to looking at the ceiling. He knew to drop it and Bucky didn’t push for a follow up either. Minnie couldn’t help the slight smile that graced her face after she had sighed loudly and the two of them did the same. Unprompted, she grabbed both of their hands— the two supersoldiers gently squeezing back. 

The rest of the night was a silent affair. Instead of team dinner, Bucky and Steve ate in their room with Minnie occasionally picking off of each of their plates when she felt like she could. They didn’t push knowing Minnie wasn't feeling the best, at least she was eating something. Bucky couldn’t help but tense up each time her eyes glanced towards the bathroom door and Steve slowly inched his body to cover more and more of the door without alerting Minnie that they knew what was actively on her mind. Minnie went to bed with murmurs of goodnight being the most she had said since getting up from the floor. 

She was still knocked out when they woke up in the morning since it was a Friday and no training was on the schedule. Steve and Bucky very carefully got out of bed in order to not disturb her. They made their way to one of the conference rooms that Nick had requested they meet in. Most of the team looked the same way they did, still in pajamas and nursing cups of coffee. Nick was going on and debriefing them about another HYDRA related mission. 

“Each group is small but you all need to work together to pull it off. So really it’s a big mission.”

“How big are we talking exactly?” Nat asked. 

Nick started naming off the Avengers in certain teams. “And Bruce, we’re putting you out on the field for this one. You’ll be with Cap and Bucky.” 

“Me and Steve?” Bucky asked. 

“Yes.”

“No,” Steve said, not skimping on an ounce of authority in his voice. 

Steve’s comment made the rest of the team look at him.

“No?” Nick asked, astonished.

“No. Buck and I aren’t both leaving.” 

“And may I ask why?”

“Minnie,” Bucky said, tentatively. 

“We need every person on this mission. You want me to give that up for one random recruit? Your partner?” 

Bucky was getting annoyed and Steve had to keep him in the chair he was sitting in. They weren’t going to budge on leaving Minnie completely alone for a mission that had no current end date. They weren’t going to let the threat of another relapse be something that she carried alone. Nick looked at the two men in front of him and knew they wouldn’t budge. He also knew that it must’ve been a serious matter if they cared so much.

“FRIDAY!” Nick yelled to the air. 

“Yes, Director?”

“Where is Recruit Brown?”

“She just returned to Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes’ bed.” 

“Tell her to come in.” 

Steve and Bucky looked at the table at FRIDAY’s words. Even though everyone knew they all were together, it still felt a little personal that they knew she was in their bed. Minnie soon came into the conference room, still in pajamas and headscarf. Her normal smoothie was replaced with an equally large cup of coffee and, much to her boyfriends’ pleasure, a bowl of fruit. 

“FRIDAY said you called for me, Director?” 

“Congrats, you’re an Avenger.” 

Minnie almost dropped the bowl of fruit in her hand. Training wasn’t over yet and she wasn't even expecting a shot at the position. Minnie had been aiming for a field agent at best, even with the number one spot of her most recent rank. She looked over at the team who shrugged in confusion, not knowing this was happening at this exact moment. Yeah, they had talked it out but this exact moment was not when they planned to say it. 

“I’m sorry, sir, what?”

“You’re on the team with Dr. Banner, Cap, and Sarge. They’ll brief you when you leave for the quinjet.” 

Nick turned to Steve and Bucky, addressing them only. “Problem solved. Get to work.” 

The group was dismissed. Everyone clapped Minnie on the back as they filed out the room until it was just Steve and Bucky left in front of her. 

“Am I actually an Avenger now?” 

They both nodded. “We’ll brief you but we’re all supposed to suit up and go in two hours.” 

Steve reached for one of the grapes in the bowl but Minnie pulled it back before he could. 

“Ah ah. Get your own breakfast, soldier.”

Bucky moved to be behind her. His arms wrapped around her middle and he rested his chin on the top of Minnie's head. 

“Yeah, Steve, get your own breakfast,” he said with a smile. 

Steve snorted out a laugh and took a grape anyway. Instead of eating it, he pressed it to Minnie's lips. She took it into her mouth, rolling her eyes when he and Bucky took two more grapes out of the bowl and ate them. Not one to miss out on the fun, Bucky grabbed an apple chunk to feed Minnie. 

“It’s nice to see you eating breakfast, pretty doll,” he commented. 

“I’m trying,” she whispered. 

“That’s all we can hope for,” Steve responded. 

Both he and Bucky kissed her on the cheek. It wasn’t going to be perfect, the three of them knew it, but it felt like something she could get through. 


End file.
